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Food Safety and Quality
Systems in Developing
Countries
Page left intentionally blank
Food Safety and Quality
Systems in Developing
Countries
Volume Two: Case Studies of Effective
Implementation

Edited by

André Gordon, PhD, CFS

Technological Solutions Limited
Kingston, Jamaica

AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON

NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO
SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO
Academic Press is an imprint of Elsevier
Academic Press is an imprint of Elsevier
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This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher
(other than as may be noted herein).

Notices
Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden
our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become
necessary.

Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and
using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information
or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom
they have a professional responsibility.

To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any
liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or
otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the
material herein.

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Dedication

This volume is dedicated to my late father, Justice Uel Dennison

Gordon (Snr.) and my mother Cynthia Gordon who both encouraged
me to make a positive contribution to my field, my region, and to my
fellow man. Their guidance, faith, and love made this contribution to
the field of Food Science and Technology possible. It is also dedicated
to the many unnamed, and often unrecognized, food scientists and tech-
nologists working in the fields, the factories, the laboratories, and with
consumers in developing countries under often trying circumstances,
whose individual contributions continue to help to feed us with safe,
wholesome food.
Page left intentionally blank
Contents

Contributorsxi
Prefacexiii
Acknowledgmentsxv

1 Introduction: effective implementation of food safety and quality

systems: prerequisites and other considerations 1
A. Gordon
Introduction 1
Food safety and quality 9
Food safety and quality considerations in accessing and developing
export markets 13
Conclusions 19
Endnotes 19

2 Food safety–based strategies for addressing trade and market access

issues 21
A. Gordon
Introduction 21
Sources of contamination in foods and foodborne illnesses 23
Meeting market requirements 34
Conclusions 44
Endnotes 45

3 Case study: improving the quality and viability of a traditional

beverage—Irish Moss 47
A. Gordon
Introduction 47
Background to the case study 54
Approach to the technical support intervention 56
Outcome of the first intervention 58
Equipment and supplies 64
An assessment of the quality-related issues and proposed solutions 65
The second intervention 68
Subsequent technical interventions 74
Conclusions 74
Endnotes 78
viii Contents

4 Case study: food safety and quality systems implementation

in small beverage operations—Mountain Top Springs Limited 81
A. Gordon
Introduction 82
Background to bottled water exports and Mountain Top Springs Limited 82
Food safety and quality considerations 88
The improvement opportunity and process and system description 94
Food safety and quality system implementation 96
Process and systems upgrade at Mountain Top Springs Limited 108
Business impact of the implementation: cost/benefit comparison 111
Summary of the benefits 114
Conclusions and lessons learned 114
Endnotes 115
5 Case study: formula safe foods—sauces 117
A. Gordon, R. Williams
Formula safe foods 118
Browning 120
Case study 1: UL Manufacturing’s Browning made
by the traditional method 122
Case study 2: Walkerswood Browning and browning made
by other processes 128
Case study 3: soy sauce as a formula safe food 133
Case study 4: Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning and other cold fill
and hold products 141
Outcome and conclusions 147
Endnotes 147
6 Case study: formula safe foods—canned pasteurized processed cheese 149
A. Gordon
Introduction 150
Case study 1: proving compliance of canned pasteurized processed
cheese with US thermal processing and safety requirements 153
Market access prohibition: imposition of the import alert 156
Scientific background to Tastee processed cheddar cheese production 158
Formulation safety of Tastee canned processed cheese 163
FRI’s assessment of the data on the thermal process and product safety 165
Resolution of the problem and regaining market access 167
Implementation of the recommendations from FRI and regaining
of the market access 168
Conclusions 169
Case study 2: attaining compliance of canned pasteurized processed
cheese with Canadian requirements 169
Challenge study: survival of selected pathogens in Tastee Canadian
formulation processed cheese 180
Endnotes 183
Contents ix

7 Case study: application of appropriate technologies to improve

the quality and safety of coconut water 185
A. Gordon, J. Jackson
Introduction 186
Quality and processing of coconut water 192
Case study 1: development of objective easy-to-use approaches
to manage the quality, safety, and shelf life of coconut water 197
Conclusions 204
Case study 2: modification of the production of bottled coconut water
to improve its quality, safety, and shelf life 205
The nascent coconut water industry in the Caribbean 206
Recommended process and applicable quality assurance for coconut
water produced by the traditional method 214
Summary 214
Endnotes 215

8 Case study: FSQS in solving market access prohibition

for a vegetable product—callaloo (Amaranthus sp.) 217
A. Gordon
Introduction 217
Case study: production of callaloo with compliant extraneous
matter levels 220
Approach to addressing the market access prohibition (import alert) 226
Optimizing the agronomy of the growing of callaloo (Amaranthus sp.) 228
Development of quality assurance criteria 230
The quality assurance program 237
Petitioning the FDA to lift the import alert 237
Conclusions 239
Case study: contamination of callaloo (Amaranthus sp.)
with pesticides residues 239
Cause of the problem 241
Resolution of the problem 242
Conclusions and lessons learned 243
Endnotes 243

9 Case study: addressing the problem of Alicyclobacillus

in tropical beverages 245
A. Gordon
Introduction 245
Thermophilic acidophilic bacteria in foods and beverages 247
Case study: protecting tropical beverages against
Alicyclobacillus-mediated spoilage and the resultant possible
brand damage 254
Summary, conclusions, and lessons learned 275
Endnotes 276
x Contents

10 Conclusions and lessons learned: steps for successful Food Safety

and Quality System (FSQS) systems implementation 277
A. Gordon, H. Kennedy
Conclusions and lessons learned 277
Summary of the steps for successful implementation of a food safety
and quality system 281
A step-by-step guide to the implementation of a food safety
and quality system 282
Scientific information to support FSQS 290
Endnotes 290

References 293

Index 309
Contributors

A. Gordon
Technological Solutions Limited, Kingston, Jamaica

J. Jackson
Independent Consultant, Okemos, MI, United States

H. Kennedy
Technological Solutions Limited, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

R. Williams
Technological Solutions Limited, Kingston, Jamaica
Page left intentionally blank
Preface

This volume explores the keys to effective implementation of food safety and quality
systems (FSQS), with a focus on selected, specific food safety and quality challenges
in developing countries and how these can be mitigated. While the challenges and
approaches examined are universal, the context for this series, this volume being no
exception, is a developing country environment where human, technological, and
­financial resources are often constrained and the focus is typically on the competitive
production for local consumption or export into third country markets. This set of cir-
cumstances calls for the application of approaches and technology grounded in theo-
retically sound food science and FSQS principles, with the flexibility and practicality
born, in many cases, of necessity. What this does, therefore, is make the information
presented here applicable in all circumstances in developed, emerging, and develop-
ing countries, particularly since the principles and approaches call on the same body
of knowledge required by all food scientists and technologists, all FSQS practitioners
and all market access professionals, wherever in the world they are located.
The first book in this series, among other things, examined in detail the cross-
border collaborative approach that is sometimes required to solve thorny market ac-
cess issues requiring the application of food science to address food safety issues for
a traditional food containing a natural toxicant, Blighia sapida being the example. In
this volume, we start by providing a general overview of some of the issues and con-
siderations that impact effective implementation of FSQS and put this in the context
of some of the more noteworthy foodborne illness incidents in the recent past. The
unique and often very specific nature of the food safety or market access limitations
associated with taking traditional foods from developing countries mainstream is il-
lustrated with case studies examining national, industry-wide or firm-level issues, and
the practical resolution of these. What is particularly unique about this body of work
is that a variety of solutions are discussed to food safety and quality assurance issues
through the presentation of detailed, specific approaches to real world challenges for
a wide range of foods, from beverages and sauces to dairy products and canned veg-
etables. Challenges and solutions are illustrated throughout using case studies taken
from various situations in which the authors were involved. These case studies are
used to illustrate the successful application of sound food science principles and dif-
ferent methodologies to address food safety or quality problems and, critically, to the
successful practical implementation of FSQS within a developing country context, in
particular.
xiv Preface

Readers will encounter in this book a rich source of previously unpublished infor-
mation about the practical application of food science and technology to solve food
safety and quality problems in the food industry. They will also find it an invaluable
resource as they seek to implement FSQS in companies or solve seemingly intractable
and costly problems with products in the categories covered. Finally, this book will
provide a treasure trove of information on tropical foods and their production that
have applicability to similar foods and facilities around the world. We expect students,
researchers, FSQS professionals, regulators, and market access practitioners to find
this book an irreplaceable addition to their arsenal as they deal with issues regarding
food safety and quality for the products with which they are working.

André Gordon, PhD, CFS

Acknowledgments

The editor and his coauthors acknowledge the dedication to duty and support
provided by the Elsevier team on this project, particularly Ms. Jaclyn Truesdell
and Ms. Karen Miller, both Editorial Project Managers, and Ms. Patricia Obsourne,
Senior Acquisitions Editor (Book Division) who have helped, encouraged, and
guided as the manuscript went through its phases. We also wish to thank the support
team at Technological Solutions Limited (TSL) who undertook key aspects of the
research, information gathering and provided the kind of on-going support that
helped to make this possible. We express our deepest gratitude to Mr. Andrew
Ho, GraceKennedy & Co. Ltd., Mr. Sean Garbutt, AML/Walkerswood Caribbean
Foods Limited, Mr. Uriah Kelly, UL Manufacturing Limited, Ms. Simone Hew,
Fachoy Foods Limited, Mr. Andrew Gray, Gray’s Pepper Products Limited
(Jamaica), Ms. Merlissa Khan, RHS Marketing Limited (Trinidad and Tobago),
and Mr. Kenneth Da Silva (St. Vincent and the Grenadines). The authors and,
we believe, you the readers owe a debt of gratitude to these persons and their
companies that so graciously agreed to have their cases shared so that others could
benefit from their experiences. Had they not allowed me to share their stories, this
book would not have been enriched as it has by the information derived from those
case studies. Finally, I thank my family for continuing to share my time to allow
me to undertake and complete this exciting project.
Page left intentionally blank
Introduction: effective
implementation of food safety 1
and quality systems: prerequisites
and other considerations
A. Gordon
Technological Solutions Limited, Kingston, Jamaica

Chapter Outline

Introduction 1
Food safety and quality 9
Ensuring safe food 9
Safety versus quality 10
Food safety drivers 11
Food safety and quality considerations in accessing
and developing export markets 13
Basic requirements of a food safety system 15
Conclusions 19

Introduction
The food industry in developing countries is as diverse as its peoples. Depending
on the country and the cuisine in that country, the food industry covers a wide range
of sectors from seafood, fresh produce and traditional foods, fruits and vegetables,
meats (processed and unprocessed), dairy products, beverages, confectionary, and
grains and cereals among others. The characteristics of the food and the nature of
the industry in each category of food varies by country and by region. It depends on
the history, climate and microclimate, cultural and agricultural practices, the existence
of a significant formal hospitality industry, the existence and level of development
of a formal food service sector [including domestically grown or transnational quick
serve restaurants (QSRs)], and the range and nature of the exports markets with which
trading relationships have been established. These, collectively determine the range,
breadth, and sophistication of the food industry in each region of the developing world
and each country. For countries which share a border, the differences in the industry
across a distance of only a few miles, indeed a few meters, can be quite sharp. Ex-
amples of this in different regions include The United States of America and Mexico
in the Americas, India and China in Asia, Haiti and the Dominican Republic in the

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2 Food Safety and Quality Systems in Developing Countries

Figure 1.1 Indonesian satay.

Source: www.indostyles.com.

Caribbean, Botswana and South Africa in Africa, and Suriname and Brazil in South
America.
Typically, the foods consumed in developing countries include a wide and deli-
cious range of produce, meat, poultry and seafood products, grains, fruits and veg-
etables, many of incomparable taste and flavor and many of which may be unknown
in, or unfamiliar to, developed country markets. These include products such as fungi
(pronounced funji, made with cornmeal) from the Eastern Caribbean, cassreep from
Guyana, dukunoo (pronounced dokoonou) which originated in West Africa and is
found throughout the Caribbean, tamales, empanada and yuca which are very popular
in Central America. They also include satay (meat on a stick roasted over an open fire
or charcoal) which is a staple throughout Southeast Asia and which is now gaining ac-
ceptance in some metropolitan markets, particularly some European markets (Fig. 1.1)
and, from Africa, gari and fufu (Western Africa) and fried plantains (popular in the
continent, in general). From these cultures have also come a range of new meal op-
tions and products which are sought after in developed country cuisines (International
Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, 2013) including curries from Asia, jerk
from Jamaica in the Caribbean (Fig. 1.2), tacos and burritos from Mexico in Central
America, falafel from Lebanon in the Middle East, and chow mien from China. These
are buttressed by equally delicious processed foods, the variety of which vary depend-
ing on cultural nuances and the sophistication of the food industry in the country
(Fig. 1.3). Developing countries are also major producers of well-known and loved
foods, widely consumed in developed countries, such as cocoa and cashew nuts (Ivory
Coast), coffee (Brazil and Columbia), conch—Strombus giga (Jamaica), pineapples
(Philippines and Costa Rica) and kiwi fruit from Chile.
Many developing countries produce a variety of foods which include fruits, veg-
etables, meat, seafood and dairy products, as well as processed foods and beverages
Introduction: effective implementation of food safety and quality systems 3

Figure 1.2 Jamaican jerk chicken.

Source: Walkerswood Caribbean Foods.

(Fig. 1.4) of a wide range of types, packaging, and formats. These are served through
delivery channels as diverse as you will find in the more developed countries in Aus-
tralasia, Southern Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Many of these
are produced by staff trained and equipped to make high quality products. They are
produced in facilities ranging from very basic to state-of-the-art (Fig. 1.5). The role
and importance of food safety and quality systems (FSQS) in the food industry of
developing countries and emerging economies, therefore, will depend on the level
of sophistication and focus of their domestic industry and, specifically, the subsector
of the industry from which the product comes.
Many traditional products are already being exported to markets globally. Tradi-
tional ethnic cuisines are now increasingly an inseparable part of mainstream diets
4 Food Safety and Quality Systems in Developing Countries

Figure 1.3 Developing country foods with different levels of sophistication.

Source: A. Gordon, 2015.
Introduction: effective implementation of food safety and quality systems 5

Figure 1.4 Examples of the some foods produced in developing countries.

Source: A. Gordon, 2015.

throughout the world. Chinese cuisine, Indian curries, Thai food, and traditional
Asian cuisine are now not only available in specialty restaurants, but are a standard
part of meal choices in Europe and North America. Many of these are available as
authentic meal options in convenient formats in the major multiplesa such as Whole
Foods (Fig. 1.6A) and Walmart in the USA, Sainsbury and Tesco (United Kingdom),
Loblaws (Canada), and Albert Heijn in the Netherlands (Fig. 1.6B). In addition to
these prepared meals, many of the other foods and beverages consumed in the South
have been adopted by the more developed country markets. These traditional devel-
oping country foods now included in global diets have expanded to include a wide
6 Food Safety and Quality Systems in Developing Countries

Figure 1.5 Examples of different kinds of food processing systems in developing

countries.
Source: A. Gordon, 2015.

range of fruits and vegetables, produce, spices, prepared foods, and beverages. Most
of the produce that form a part of this trend usually undergo further processing after
purchase, including various forms of preparation and cooking.
In the initial stages when foods from developing countries started being sold in
metropolitan marketplaces, they were originally sold mainly to the ethnic community
familiar with them. Many have transitioned and are now being sold to mainstream
populations and are therefore present in several conventional retail outlets alongside
Introduction: effective implementation of food safety and quality systems 7

Figure 1.6 Leading products from developing countries on sale in Whole Foods (A) and
Albert Heijn (B).
Source: A. Gordon, 2015.

the prepared foods mentioned previously. Some of these products have been used by
consumers around the world for decades by persons who perhaps even today remain
unaware of their origin, examples being Angostura Bitters and Pickapeppa Sauce
(Fig. 1.7A–B, respectively). Some are global standard bearers in their food class, be-
ing regarded as sophisticated world brands such as Guyana’s well known El Dorado
15 Year Old Rum, one of the standard bearers in the rum category of the alcoholic
beverage industry, or Blue Mountain coffee (Fig. 1.7C–D). Examples of some of the
products that are now a part of global diets which originate almost exclusively from
developing countries, as well as cuisines are summarized in Table 1.1. In essence then,
the nature of our global food supply is changing to become much more diverse and
this will bring new opportunities, even as new challenges will also emerge.
Many developing country exports are traditional foods that have continued to main-
tain old traditions and practices. These sometimes present interesting challenges for
validation of their safety in a manner that meets the requirements of developed country
market regulators. A prime example of this is the ackee (Fig. 1.8), Jamaica’s National
Fruit which was discussed in some detail in Volume I of this series (Gordon, 2015a).
The aspect of the food industry that produces mainly for local consumption, although
not export oriented as other aspects of emerging market food industries tend to be,
is no less diverse as they face, in many cases, relentless pressure from domestic and
imported competition. Depending on the country, the sector may produce a wide va-
riety of products ranging from the relatively basic to sophisticated. Regardless of the
nature of the food being imported or produced in different countries, the factors af-
fecting the future development of the sector will be the same as they are elsewhere.
It is important, therefore for both the producers and exporters, as well as importers in
developed countries, to become aware of the international trends that are driving the
development of the global food industry and equip themselves to meet the demands
as they seek to have their products become leaders in the global marketplace. We will
examine these throughout this book, starting with this chapter, and discuss how they
relate to the overwhelming and increasing influence of FSQS in global food trade.
8 Food Safety and Quality Systems in Developing Countries

Figure 1.7 Examples of standard bearers and market leading products from developing
countries on sale in the major multiples.

Figure 1.8 Jamaican ackee on the tree.

Introduction: effective implementation of food safety and quality systems 9

Food safety and quality

Ensuring safe food
All industry stakeholders in developing countries have a crucial role to play in ensur-
ing that the products being manufactured or produced and sold in their countries or
exported meet basic food safety standards. Within these countries, customers buying
the food expect good quality, healthy food; the local regulatory infrastructure has a
primary responsibility to assure this. For safe, good quality food, consumers will pay
a fair price. It is therefore in the interest of producers and food industry professionals
supporting them to ensure that the food sold to customers, wherever located, meets
and/or exceeds their expectations. The food ideally should be good for them, healthy
and well presented, delivered in a manner that allows them to trust that the purvey-
ors are delivering on the promise of the entire value chain. What is that unspoken
promise? That all food being delivered, offered for sale, or served is safe, at the very
minimum. The expectation, the promise is that the food being consumed will not make
customers ill. Therefore, the system of production, from land identification, through
planting, handling, processing, and delivery to the market in developing or developed
countries has to ensure that the increasingly rigid requirements of the market and
expectations of consumers are met.
Ensuring the safety of food means preventing the entry of hazards into the food
being handled or eliminating or controlling them, where they are naturally present in
the food. These include physical, chemical, and biological hazards, including micro-
organisms (Fig. 1.9). In Volume I of this series, the latter was explored in some detail
for a range of foods, particularly with regard to chemical hazards (Gordon, 2015a).
In cases where the products are being sold in their market of origin, locals, visitors,
the suppliers of visitors to markets (including big hospitality businesses such as the
TUI Groupb), hotels, and their supporting infrastructure also expect absolute safety
of the food being offered. For the latter this is of great importance since they often
face significant liability should a visitor or a customer to which a vacation was sold

Figure 1.9 Delivering safe food.

10 Food Safety and Quality Systems in Developing Countries

become ill (Kitchin, 2015). The cost of the litigation which can arise from any such
situation can be quite substantial (Cooper, 2014) and, in some cases depending on the
situation, could cause the business to fold, examples of which will be examined later
in the chapter. Consequently, purveyors of foods now have to be mindful not only to
focus on the demand for quality products, delivering acceptable nutrition, but also on
the safety of the food products being offered for sale, consumption, or import. This
latter has largely been driven by the tidal wave of concern about food safety that has
become even more important over the last decade or so and is now a major driver of
the future direction of the global food industry as is explored here.

Safety versus quality

The management of food safety and quality, while different, are interrelated. Food
industry practitioners will find that in seeking to ensure the safety of the food they
are handling or producing, they will be able to achieve the delivery of a quality food
as well. It is, however, quite important to carefully and clearly distinguish between
those aspects of a food and its production or handling that are safety related, related to
quality, or both. The reason for this is that misunderstandings between what comprises
food safety and quality have led to many of the egregious errors in food handling
that have caused unfortunate illnesses and, in some cases, avoidable deaths. Safety is
absolute and unforgiving. A food is either safe or unsafe; there is no in-between. It is
typically a prerequisite that is demanded by countries through compliance with their
requirements to access their market. Increasingly, developed countries are mandat-
ing that foods entering their countries, as is the case for foods produced in their own
jurisdictions, must meet minimum food safety standards, including GMP and/or GAP,
HACCP, traceability, and other requirements.
Quality, on the other hand, is primarily focused on meeting (and exceeding) the
customers’ requirements and seeking to delight the customer, who already assumes
that the product being offered is safe. Product quality is also related to entry into se-
lected market segments by meeting specific quality criteria set by buyers, retaining
and expanding market share, and commanding a higher premium within a particu-
lar product category. From the perspective of the manufacturer, quality may be seen
as assuring the ability to consistently produce to meet preset product characteristics.
Both quality and safety require the translation of information derived from multiple
sources (consumer feedback, research, marketing briefs, etc.) into technical speci-
fications for implementation. However, with food safety, these specifications often
become limits which, once critical, cannot be breached as this will likely cause illness,
injury, or worse to consumers. With quality, the issues are more to do with noncom-
pliance with legal, labeling, regulatory, certification, buyer, retailer, and/or consumer
requirements and can involve many aspects of the product besides those that directly
impact its safety. These may include secondary and tertiary packaging, color, flavor,
labeling, sizes, ingredients, etc. Despite the important differences between ensuring
food quality and food safety, the approach to achieving both can often be combined,
with a greater benefit being derived to all stakeholders than if they were approached
separately. This realization has resulted in the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)
Introduction: effective implementation of food safety and quality systems 11

benchmarked schemes all being combinations of food quality and food safety systems
(Global Food Safety Initiative, 2016a,b), as well as a trend in which some of the stipu-
lations of regulators are seeking to incorporate many of the elements that are a part of
the GFSI set of benchmarked standards. The GFSI and its set of standards is discussed
in more details in subsequent sections.
This series of volumes and this volume in particular, including many of the case
studies outlined throughout, have relied on the principle that focusing on food safety,
done well, will address most of the critical issues to do with quality and that where
this does not hold true, the quality issues can be addressed with the same approach or
framework. This approach involves identifying those areas of the production and han-
dling process where control must be exercised to deliver the desired outcome, whether
it is taste and flavor, color, choice of packaging, compliance with requirements, or
other important quality requirements. Throughout, case studies and evaluation of situ-
ations that have arisen are presented in a manner that allows the reader to understand
the issues, see how these are defined in technical terms and then addressed through
the systematic application of carefully developed approaches to achieving a desired
food safety or quality goal.

Food safety drivers

Food safety and the assurance of food safety have become among the major con-
cerns of consumers in developed country markets over the last several years (Global
Food Forums, 2016). No longer a “nice to have,” food safety is now an absolute
requirement, now (virtually) mandatory as it is the price of entry into locally based,
international hotel chains in developing countries and all major export markets. For
companies wishing to grow their businesses by expanding in the local market and
gaining competitive leverage, being able to assure the safety of their food products
and communicate this effectively to consumers is a distinct advantage. Foodborne
illness outbreaks have led to calls from consumers for governments to ensure a safe,
secure food supply. They have also led to increasing pressure on food businesses
(retailers, manufacturers, etc.) to ensure compliance. Foodborne illness outbreaks
have also driven all major markets to act, including the USA, Canada, and the United
Kingdom/European Union, as we shall examine throughout the course of this book.
Hence the changes in EU regulations over the years, the tightening import regula-
tions into the ANZAC region from neighboring countries in Asia, the Food Safety
Modernization Act 2011 (FSMA) in the United States, the Safe Food for Canadians
Act (SFCA) 2012, and the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
What has driven this continuing thrust?
The fact is that the number, spread, and impact of foodborne illness outbreaks
and related incidents have increased significantly over the last decade and consumers
and consumer protection groups have become ever more vigilant, even as govern-
ments and the producers themselves have become more demanding of the entire in-
dustry value chain. The impact of foodborne illness outbreaks as illustrated in multiple
countries from several continents in Table 1.1 demonstrates the significant economic
and social impact of foodborne disease. As in the United States and other developed
12 Food Safety and Quality Systems in Developing Countries

Impact of foodborne illnesses in selected developed

Table 1.1
countries 2015
Number
of cases of Estimated
Country illness Hospitalizations Deaths cost (US$) Population
United 1 million 20,000 500 1.99 billion 65,000,000
Kingdoma
United States 48 million 128,000 3,000 77.7 billion 323,644,000
of America
Australia 4.1 millionb —c 120 0.97 billion 24,277,000
Canadad 4 million 11,600 238 1.1 billione 36,242,000
a
Food Standards Agency (2016).
b
New South Wales Government, Department of Primary Industries Food Authority (2016)
c
Data not found
d
Bélanger et al. (2015).
e
Todd (1989).

countries, in Australia, a leader in the Pacific region, efforts by the authorities have
resulted in a decline in foodborne illnesses from 5.4 million in 2011 to 4.1 million by
2015 (New South Wales Government, 2016), a figure which is nevertheless too high.
When reduced to the national, regional, or local level, the impact is even greater and,
when vulnerable populations which comprise nearly 20% of national populations in
major developed countries (Lund, 2015) are taken into consideration, the consequenc-
es are even more dire.
In a well-publicized case in Australia, then 7-year-old Monika Samaan was
left brain damaged for life from salmonellosis reportedly resulting from eating
a popular meal at a QSR that was contaminated with Salmonella. While the QSR
maintained that the evidence was not clear that their food was the cause of the ill-
ness, Monika’s family was awarded $8.08 million in damages. This incident, which
started when the food poisoning occurred in October 2005, followed other well
publicized cases, include the watershed food poisoning outbreak from drinking wa-
ter in Walkerton, Ontario 5 years earlier in 2000 (Clark et al., 2003). Several other
notable cases that will be explored later, have all combined to make it an absolute
imperative that government and industry ensure that the food being delivered to
consumers is safe.
In many parts of the developing world, the kind of detailed data on the impact of
foodborne illnesses is not gathered in a manner that allows it to be credible and, as
such, the information needed to plan effective mitigation strategies is not available.
In India, the data gathering to properly advise national foodborne illness prevention
programs and strategies also suffers from this weakness (Rao et al., 2012), although
data available for 2004 showed that just over 9.57 million cases of gastrointestinal ill-
nesses caused by food- or waterborne vectors was reported (Sudershan et al., 2014).
In the Latin American and the Caribbean, for example, although limited in occurrence,
there have been significant domestic cases of foodborne illnesses (Pires et al., 2012),
Exploring the Variety of Random
Documents with Different Content
Wine is the fuel that feeds the flame, and upon what it feeds, it
devoureth, and with the food, the feeder; but by reason Wine is a
rarer body then Oyle, or Wood, or any other fuel, its flame is also
weaker. And thus much of these questions, I rest,
Madam,
Your Faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1] P. 4. art. 97.
[2] Art. 107.

XLII.
MADAM,
To conclude my discourse upon the Opinions of these two famous
and learned Authors, which I have hitherto sent you in several
Letters, I could not chuse but repeat the ground of my own opinions
in this present; which I desire you to observe well, lest you mistake
any thing, whereof I have formerly discoursed. First I am for self-
moving matter, which I call the sensitive and rational matter, and the
perceptive and architectonical part of nature, which is the life and
knowledg of nature. Next I am of an opinion, That all Perception is
made by corporeal, figuring self-motions, and that the perception of
forreign objects is made by patterning them out: as for example,
The sensitive perception of forreign objects is by making or taking
copies from these objects, so as the sensitive corporeal motions in
the eyes copy out the objects of sight, and the sensitive corporeal
motions in the ears copy out the objects of sound; the sensitive
corporeal motions in the nostrils, copy out the objects of sent; the
sensitive corporeal motions in the tongue and mouth, copy out the
objects of taste, and the sensitive corporeal motions in the flesh and
skin of the body copy out the forreign objects of touch; for when
you stand by the fire, it is not that the fire, or the heat of the fire
enters your flesh, but that the sensitive motions copy out the objects
of fire and heat. As for my Book of Philosophy, I must tell you, that it
treats more of the production and architecture of Creatures then of
their perceptions, and more of the causes then the effects, more in a
general then peculiar way, which I thought necessary to inform you
of, and so I remain,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and Servant.

XLIII.
MADAM,
I received your questions in your last: the first was, Whether there
be more body compact together in a heavy then in a light thing? I
answer, That purity, rarity, little quantity, exteriour shape, as also
motion cause lightnesse; and grossness of bulk, density, much
quantity, exterior figure and motion cause heaviness, as it may be
confirmed by many examples: but lightness and heaviness are onely
conceptions of man, as also ascent and descent; and it may be
questioned, whether there be such things really in nature; for
change of motions of one and the same body will make lightness,
and heaviness, as also rarity and density: besides, the several
figures and compositions of bodies will cause them to ascend or
descend, for Snow is a light body and yet descends from the clouds,
and Water is a heavie body, and yet ascends in springs out of the
Earth; Dust is a dense body and yet is apt to ascend, Rain or Dew is
a rare body and yet is apt to descend; Also a Bird ascends by his
shape, and a small worm although of less body and lighter will fall
down; and there can be no other proof of light and heavy bodies but
by their ascent and descent; But as really there is no such thing as
heavie or light in nature more then words, and comparisons of
different corporeal motions, so there is no such thing, as high or low,
place or time, but onely words to make comparisons and to
distinguish different corporeal motions. The second question was;
When a Bason with water is wasted into smoak, which fills up a
whole Room, Whether the air in the room doth, as the sensitive
motions of the eye, pattern out the figure of the smoak; or whether
all the room is really fill'd with the vapour or smoak? I answer, If it
be onely the pattern or figure of smoak or vapour, the extension and
dilation is not so much as man imagines; but why may not the air,
which in my opinion hath self-motion, pattern out the figure of
smoak as well as the eye; for that the eye surely doth it, may be
proved; because smoak, if it enter the eye, makes it not onely smart
and water much, but blinds it quite for the present; wherefore
smoak doth not enter the eye, when the eye seeth it, but the eye
patterns out the figure of smoak, and this is perception; In the same
manner may the air pattern out the figure of smoak. The third
question was, Whether all that they name qualities of bodies, as
thickness, thinness, hardness, softness, gravity, levity,
transparentness and the like, be substances? I answer, That all
those, they call qualities, are nothing else but change of motion and
figure of the same body, and several changes of motions are not
several bodies, but several actions of one body; for change of
motion doth not create new matter or multiply its quantity: for
though corporeal motions may divide and compose, contract and
dilate, yet they cannot create new matter, or make matter any
otherwise then it is by nature, neither can they add or substract any
thing from its nature. And therefore my opinion is, not that they are
things subsisting by themselves without matter, but that there can
no abstraction be made of motion and figure from matter, and that
matter and motion being but one thing and inseparable, make but
one substance. Wherefore density and rarity, gravity and levity, &c.
being nothing else but change of motions, cannot be without matter,
but a dense or rare, heavie or light matter is but one substance or
body; And thus having obeyed your commands, I rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend,
and Servant.

XLIV.
MADAM,
I am very ready to give you my opinion of those two questions you
sent me, whereof the first was, Whether that, which is rare and
subtil, be not withal pure? To which I answer, That all rare bodies
are not subtil, nor pure, and that all which is dense is not gross and
dull: As for example, Puddle-water, or also clear water, is rarer then
Quicksilver, and yet not so subtil and pure as Quicksilver; the like of
Gold; for Quicksilver and Gold may be rarified to a transparentness,
and yet be so dense, as not to be easily dissolved; and Quicksilver is
very subtil and searching, so as to be able to force other bodies to
divide as well as it can divide and compose its own parts. Wherefore
my opinion is, that the purest and subtilest degree of matter in
nature, is that degree of matter which can dilate and contract,
compose and divide into any figure by corporeal self-motion. Your
second question was, Why a man's hand cannot break a little hard
body, as a little nail, whereas yet it is bigger then the nail? I answer,
It is not because the hand is softer then the nail, for one hard body
will not break suddenly another hard body, and a man may easily
break an iron nail with his hand, as I have bin informed; but it is
some kind of motion which can easier do it, then another: for I have
seen a strong cord wound about both a man's hands, who pulled his
hands as hard and strongly asunder as he could, and yet was not
able to break it; when as a Youth taking the same cord, and winding
it about his hands as the former did, immediately broke it; the cause
was, that he did it with another kind of motion or pulling, then the
other did, which though he used as much force and strength, as he
was able, yet could not break it, when the boy did break it with the
greatest ease, and turning onely his hands a little, which shews, that
many things may be done by a slight of motion, which otherwise a
great strength and force cannot do. This is my answer and opinion
concerning your proposed questions; if you have any more, I shall
be ready to obey you, as,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and humble Servant.

XLV.
MADAM,
I understand by your last, that you are very desirous to know,
Whether there be not in nature such animal creatures both for purity
and size, as we are not capable to perceive by our sight. Truly,
Madam, in my opinion it is very probable there may be animal
creatures of such rare bodies as are not subject to our exterior
senses, as well, as there are elements which are not subject to all
our exterior senses: as for example, fire is onely subject to our sight
and feeling, and not to any other sense, water is subject to our
sight, taste, touch and hearing, but not to smelling; and earth is
subject to our sight, taste, touch and smelling, but not to our
hearing; and vapour is onely subject to our sight, and wind onely to
our hearing; but pure air is not subject to any of our senses, but
onely known by its effects: and so there may likewise be animal
creatures which are not subject to any of our senses both for their
purity and life; as for example, I have seen pumpt out of a water
pump small worms which could hardly be discerned but by a bright
Sun-light, for they were smaller then the smallest hair, some of a
pure scarlet colour and some white, but though they were the
smallest creatures that ever I did see, yet they were more agil and
fuller of life, then many a creature of a bigger size, and so small they
were, as I am confident, they were neither subject to tast, smell,
touch nor hearing, but onely to sight, and that neither without
difficulty, requiring both a sharp sight and a clear light to perceive
them; and I do verily believe that these small animal creatures may
be great in comparison to others which may be in nature. But if it be
probable that there may be such small animal creatures in nature, as
are not subject to our exterior senses, by reason of their littleness; it
is also probable, that there may be such great and big animal
creatures in nature as are beyond the reach and knowledg of our
exterior senses; for bigness and smallness are not to be judged by
our exterior senses, onely; but as sense and reason inform us, that
there are different degrees in Purity and Rarity, so also in shapes,
figures and sizes in all natural creatures. Next you desired to know,
Whether there can be an artificial Life, or a Life made by Art? My
answer is, Not; for although there is Life in all natures parts, yet not
all the parts are life, for there is one part of natural matter which in
its nature is inanimate or without life, and though natural Life doth
produce Art, yet Art cannot produce natural Life, for though Art is
the action of Life, yet it is not Life it self: not but that there is Life in
Art, but not art in life, for Life is natural, and not artificial; and thus
the several parts of a watch may have sense and reason according
to the nature of their natural figure, which is steel, but not as they
have an artificial shape, for Art cannot put Life into the watch, Life
being onely natural, not artificial. Lastly your desire was to know,
Whether a part of matter may be so small, as it cannot be made
less? I answer, there is no such thing in nature as biggest or least,
nature being Infinite as well in her actions as in her substance; and I
have mentioned in my book of Philosophy, and in a letter, I sent you
heretofore concerning Infinite, that there are several sorts of
Infinites, as Infinite in quantity or bulk, Infinite in number, Infinite in
quality, as Infinite degrees of hardness, softness, thickness,
thinness, swiftness, slowness, &c. as also Infinite compositions,
divisions, creations, dissolutions, &c. in nature; and my meaning is,
that all these Infinite actions do belong to the Infinite body of
nature, which being infinite in substance must also of necessity be
infinite in its actions; but although these Infinite actions are inherent
in the power of the Infinite substance of nature, yet they are never
put in act in her parts, by reason there being contraries in nature,
and every one of the aforementioned actions having its opposite,
they do hinder and obstruct each other so, that none can actually
run into infinite; for the Infinite degrees of compositions hinder the
infinite degrees of divisions; and the infinite degrees of rarity,
softness, swiftness, &c. hinder the infinite degrees of density,
hardness, slowness, &c. all which nature has ordered with great
wisdom and Prudence to make an amiable combination between her
parts; for if but one of these actions should run into infinite, it would
cause a horrid confusion between natures parts, nay an utter
destruction of the whole body of nature, if I may call it whole: as for
example, if one part should have infinite compositions, without the
hinderance or obstruction of division, it would at last mount and
become equal to the Infinite body of nature, and so from a part
change to a whole, from being finite to infinite, which is impossible;
Wherefore, though nature hath an Infinite natural power, yet she
doth not put this power in act in her particulars; and although she
has an infinite force or strength, yet she doth not use this force or
strength in her parts. Moreover when I speak of Infinite divisions
and compositions, creations and dissolutions, &c. in nature, I do not
mean so much the infinite degrees of compositions and divisions, as
the actions themselves to be infinite in number; for there being
infinite parts in nature, and every one having its compositions and
divisions, creations and dissolutions, these actions must of necessity
be infinite too, to wit, in number, according to the Infinite number of
parts, for as there is an Infinite number of parts in nature, so there
is also an infinite number and variety of motions which are natural
actions. However let there be also infinite degrees of these natural
actions, in the body or substance of infinite nature; yet, as I said,
they are never put in act, by reason every action hath its contrary or
opposite, which doth hinder and obstruct it from running actually
into infinite. And thus I hope, you conceive cleerly now, what my
opinion is, and that I do not contradict my self in my works, as some
have falsly accused me, for they by misapprehending my meaning,
judge not according to the truth of my sense, but according to their
own false interpretation, which shews not onely a weakness in their
understandings and passions, but a great injustice and injury to me,
which I desire you to vindicate when ever you chance to hear such
accusations and blemishes laid upon my works, by which you will
Infinitely oblige,
Madam,
Your humble and faithful Servant.
 SECT. II.
I.
MADAM,
Being come now to the Perusal of the Works of that learned Author
Dr. Moor, I find that the onely design of his Book called Antidote, is
to prove the Existence of a God, and to refute, or rather convert
Atheists; which I wonder very much at, considering, he says himself,
[1] That there is no man under the cope of Heaven but believes a
God; which if so, what needs there to make so many arguments to
no purpose? unless it be to shew Learning and wit; In my opinion, it
were better to convert Pagans to be Christians, or to reform irregular
Christians to a more pious life, then to prove that, which all men
believe, which is the way to bring it into question. For certainly,
according to the natural Light of Reason, there is a God, and no
man, I believe, doth doubt it; for though there may be many vain
words, yet I think there is no such atheistical belief amongst man-
kind, nay, not onely amongst men, but also, amongst all other
creatures, for if nature believes a God, all her parts, especially the
sensitive and rational, which are the living and knowing parts, and
are in all natural creatures, do the like, and therefore all parts and
creatures in nature do adore and worship God, for any thing man
can know to the contrary; for no question, but natures soule adores
and worships God as well as man's soule; and why may not God be
worshipped by all sorts and kinds of creatures as well, as by one
kind or sort? I will not say the same way, but I believe there is a
general worship and adoration of God; for as God is an Infinite Deity,
so certainly he has an Infinite Worship and Adoration, and there is
not any part of nature, but adores and worships the only omnipotent
God, to whom belongs Praise and Glory from and to all eternity: For
it is very improbable, that God should be worshipped onely in part,
and not in whole, and that all creatures were made to obey man,
and not to worship God, onely for man's sake, and not for God's
worship, for man's use, and not God's adoration, for mans spoil and
not God's blessing. But this Presumption, Pride, Vain-glory and
Ambition of man, proceeds from the irregularity of nature, who
being a servant, is apt to commit errors; and cannot be so absolute
and exact in her devotion, adoration and worship, as she ought, nor
so well observant of God as God is observing her: Nevertheless,
there is not any of her parts or creatures, that God is not
acknowledged by, though not so perfectly as he ought, which is
caused by the irregularities of nature, as I said before. And so God
of his mercy have mercy upon all Creatures; To whose protection I
commend your Ladiship, and rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1] Antidote, Book I. c. 10. a. 5.

II.
MADAM,
Since I spake in my last of the adoration and worship of God, you
would faine know, whether we can have an Idea of God? I answer,
That naturally we may, and really have a knowledge of the existence
of God, as I proved in my former letter, to wit, that there is a God,
and, that he is the Author of all things, who rules and governs all
things, and is also the God of Nature: but I dare not think, that
naturally we can have an Idea of the essence of God, so as to know
what God is in his very nature and essence; for how can there be a
finite Idea of an Infinite God? You may say, As well as of Infinite
space. I answer, Space is relative, or has respect to body, but there
is not any thing that can be compared to God; for the Idea of
Infinite nature is material, as being a material creature of Infinite
material Nature. You will say, How can a finite part have an Idea of
infinite nature? I answer, Very well, by reason the Idea is part of
Infinite Nature, and so of the same kind, as material; but God being
an Eternal, Infinite, Immaterial, Individable Being, no natural
creature can have an Idea of him. You will say, That the Idea of God
in the mind is immaterial; I answer, I cannot conceive, that there
can be any immaterial Idea in nature; but be it granted, yet that
Immaterial is not a part of God, for God is individable, and hath no
parts; wherefore the Mind cannot have an Idea of God, as it hath of
Infinite nature, being a part of nature; for the Idea of God cannot be
of the essence of God, as the Idea of nature is a corporeal part of
nature: and though nature may be known in some parts, yet God
being Incomprehensible, his Essence can by no wayes or means be
naturally known; and this is constantly believed, by
Madam,
Your faithful Friend,
and Servant.

III.
MADAM,
Although I mentioned in my last, that it is impossible to have an
Idea of God, yet your Author is pleased to say,[1] That he will not
stick to affirm, that the Idea or notion of God is as easie, as any
notion else whatsoever, and that we may know as much of him as of
any thing else in the world. To which I answer, That in my opinion,
God is not so easily to be known by any creature, as man may know
himself; nor his attributes so well, as man can know his own natural
proprieties: for Gods Infinite attributes are not conceivable, and
cannot be comprehended by a finite knowledg and understanding,
as a finite part of nature; for though nature's parts may be Infinite in
number, and as they have a relation to the Infinite whole, if I may
call it so, which is Infinite nature, yet no part is infinite in it self, and
therefore it cannot know so much as whole nature: and God being
an Infinite Deity, there is required an Infinite capacity to conceive
him; nay, Nature her self although Infinite, yet cannot possibly have
an exact notion of God, by reason of the disparity between God and
her self; and therefore it is not probable, if the Infinite servant of
God is not able to conceive him, that a finite part or creature of
nature, of what kind or sort soever, whether Spiritual, as your Author
is pleased to name it, or Corporeal, should comprehend God.
Concerning my belief of God, I submit wholly to the Church, and
believe as I have bin informed out of the Athanasian Creed, that the
Father is Incomprehensible, the Sonne Incomprehensible, and the
Holy Ghost Incomprehensible; and that there are not three, but one
Incomprehensible God; Wherefore if any man can prove (as I do
verily believe he cannot) that God is not Incomprehensible, he must
of necessity be more knowing then the whole Church, however he
must needs dissent from the Church. But perchance your Author
may say, I raise new and prejudicial opinions, in saying that matter
is eternal. I answer, The Holy Writ doth not mention Matter to be
created, but onely Particular Creatures, as this Visible World, with all
its Parts, as the history or description of the Creation of the World in
Genesis plainly shews; For God said, Let it be Light, and there was
Light; Let there be a Firmament in the midst of the Waters, and let it
divide the Waters from the Waters; and Let the Waters under the
Heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry Land
appear; and let the Earth bring forth Grass, the Herb yielding Seed,
and the Fruit-tree yielding Fruit after his kind; and let there be Lights
in the Firmament of the Heaven, to divide the Day from the Night,
&c. Which proves, that all creatures and figures were made and
produced out of that rude and desolate heap or chaos which the
Scripture mentions, which is nothing else but matter, by the powerful
Word and Command of God, executed by his Eternal Servant,
Nature; as I have heretofore declared it in a Letter I sent you in the
beginning concerning Infinite Nature. But least I seem to encroach
too much upon Divinity, I submit this Interpretation to the Church;
However, I think it not against the ground of our Faith; for I am so
far from maintaining any thing either against Church or State, as I
am submitting to both in all duty, and shall do so as long as I live,
and rest,
Madam,
Your Faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1] Of the Immortality of the Soul, pt. 1., c. 4.

IV.
MADAM,
Since your Worthy and Learned Author is pleased to mention,[1]
That an ample experience both of Men and Things doth enlarge our
Understanding, I have taken occasion hence to enquire, how a mans
Understanding may be encreased or inlarged. The Understanding
must either be in Parts, or it must be Individable as one; if in Parts,
then there must be so many Understandings as there are things
understood; but if Individable, and but one Understanding, then it
must dilate it self upon so many several objects. I for my part,
assent to the first, That Understanding increases by Parts, and not
by Dilation, which Dilation must needs follow, if the Mind or
Understanding of man be indivisible and without parts; but if the
Mind or Soul be Individable, then I would fain know, how
Understanding, Imagination, Conception, Memory, Remembrance,
and the like, can be in the mind? You will say, perhaps, they are so
many faculties or properties of the Incorporeal Mind, but, I hope,
you do not intend to make the Mind or Soul a Deity, with so many
attributes, Wherefore, in my opinion, it is safer to say, That the Mind
is composed of several active Parts: but of these Parts I have treated
in my Philosophy, where you will find, that all the several Parts of
Nature are Living and Knowing, and that there is no part that has
not Life and Knowledg, being all composed of rational and sensitive
matter, which is the life and soul of Nature; and that Nature being
Material, is composable and dividable, which is the cause of so many
several Creatures, where every Creature is a part of Nature, and
these Infinite parts or creatures are Nature her self; for though
Nature is a self-moving substance, and by self-motion divides and
composes her self several manners or ways into several forms and
figures, yet being a knowing, as well as a living substance, she
knows how to order her parts and actions wisely; for as she hath an
Infinite body or substance, so she has an Infinite life and knowledg;
and as she hath an Infinite life and knowledg, so she hath an infinite
wisdom: But mistake me not, Madam; I do not mean an Infinite
Divine Wisdom, but an Infinite Natural Wisdom, given her by the
Infinite bounty of the Omnipotent God; but yet this Infinite Wisdom,
Life and Knowledg in Nature make but one Infinite. And as Nature
hath degrees of matter, so she has also degrees and variety of
corporeal motions; for some parts of matter are self-moving, and
some are moved by these self-moving parts of matter; and all these
parts, both the moving and moved, are so intermixed, that none is
without the other, no not in any the least Creature or part of Nature
we can conceive; for there is no Creature or part of Nature, but has
a comixture of those mentioned parts of animate and inanimate
matter, and all the motions are so ordered by Natures wisdom, as
not any thing in Nature can be otherwise, unless by a Supernatural
Command and Power of God; for no part of corporeal matter and
motion can either perish, or but rest; one part may cause another
part to alter its motions, but not to quit motion, no more then one
part of matter can annihilate or destroy another; and therefore
matter is not meerly Passive, but always Active, by reason of the
thorow mixture of animate and inanimate matter; for although the
animate matter is onely active in its nature, and the inanimate
passive, yet because they are so closely united and mixed together
that they make but one body, the parts of the animate or self-
moving matter do bear up and cause the inanimate parts to move
and work with them; and thus there is an activity in all parts of
matter moving and working as one body, without any fixation or
rest, for all is moveable, moving and moved. All which, Madam, if it
were well observed, there would not be so many strange opinions
concerning nature and her actions, making the purest and subtillest
part of matter immaterial or incorporeal, which is as much, as to
extend her beyond nature, and to rack her quite to nothing. But I
fear the opinion of Immaterial substances in Nature will at last bring
in again the Heathen Religion, and make us believe a god Pan,
Bacchus, Ceres, Venus, and the like, so as we may become
worshippers of Groves and shadows, Beans and Onions, as our
Forefathers. I say not this, as if I would ascribe any worship to
Nature, or make her a Deity, for she is onely a servant to God, and
so are all her parts or creatures, which parts or creatures, although
they are transformed, yet cannot be annihilated, except Nature her
self be annihilated, which may be, whensoever the Great God
pleases; for her existence and resolution, or total destruction,
depends upon Gods Will and Decree, whom she fears, adores,
admires, praises and prayes unto, as being her God and Master; and
as she adores God, so do all her parts and creatures, and amongst
the rest Man, so that there is no Atheist in Infinite Nature, at least
not in the opinion of,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1] Antid. Book. 2. Ch. 2. a. 1.

V.
MADAM,
I cannot well conceive what your Author means by the Common
Laws of Nature;[1] But if you desire my opinion how many Laws
Nature hath, and what they are; I say Nature hath but One Law,
which is a wise Law, to keep Infinite matter in order, and to keep so
much Peace, as not to disturb the Foundation of her Government:
for though Natures actions are various, and so many times opposite,
which would seem to make wars between several Parts, yet those
active Parts, being united into one Infinite body, cannot break
Natures general Peace; for that which Man names War, Sickness,
Sleep, Death, and the like, are but various particular actions of the
onely matter; not, as your Author imagines, in a confusion, like
Bullets, or such like things juggled together in a mans Hat, but very
orderly and methodical; And the Playing motions of nature are the
actions of Art, but her serious actions are the actions of Production,
Generation and Transformation in several kinds, sorts and particulars
of her Creatures, as also the action of ruling and governing these
her several active Parts. Concerning the Pre-eminence and
Prerogative of Man, whom your Author calls[2] The flower and chief
of all the products of nature upon this Globe of the earth; I answer,
That Man cannot well be judged of himself, because he is a Party,
and so may be Partial; But if we observe well, we shall find that the
Elemental Creatures are as excellent as Man, and as able to be a
friend or foe to Man, as Man to them, and so the rest of all
Creatures; so that I cannot perceive more abilities in Man then in the
rest of natural Creatures; for though he can build a stately House,
yet he cannot make a Honey-comb; and though he can plant a Slip,
yet he cannot make a Tree; though he can make a Sword, or Knife,
yet he cannot make the Mettal. And as Man makes use of other
Creatures, so other Creatures make use of Man, as far as he is good
for any thing: But Man is not so useful to his neighbour or fellow-
creatures, as his neighbour or fellow-creatures to him, being not so
profitable for use, as apt to make spoil. And so leaving him, I rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1] Antid. Book. 2. c. 2.
[2] C. 3.

VI.
MADAM,
Your Author demands,[1] Whether there was ever any man, that was
not mortal, and whether there be any mortal that had not a
beginning? Truly, if nature be eternal, all the material figures which
ever were, are, and can be, must be also eternal in nature; for the
figures cannot be annihilated, unless nature be destroyed; and
although a Creature is dissolved and transformed into numerous
different figures, yet all these several figures remain still in those
parts of matter, whereof that creature was made, for matter never
changes, but is always one and the same, and figure is nothing else
but matter transposed or transformed by motion several modes or
ways. But if you conceive Matter to be one thing, Figure another,
and Motion a third, several, distinct and dividable from each other, it
will produce gross errors, for, matter, motion, and figure, are but one
thing. And as for that common question, whether the Egg was
before the Chick, or the Chick before the Egg, it is but a thred-bare
argument, which proves nothing, for there is no such thing as First
in Eternity, neither doth Time make productions or generations, but
Matter; and whatsoever matter can produce or generate, was in
matter before it was produced; wherefore the question is, whether
Matter, which is Nature, had a beginning, or not? I say not: for put
the case, the figures of Earth, Air, Water, and Fire, Light and Colours,
Heat and Cold, Animals, Vegetables and Minerals, &c. were not
produced from all Eternity, yet those figures have nevertheless been
in Matter, which is Nature, from all eternity, for these mentioned
Creatures are onely made by the corporeal motions of Matter,
transforming Matter into such several figures; Neither can there be
any perishing or dying in Nature, for that which Man calls so, is
onely an alteration of Figure. And as all other productions are but a
change of Matters sensitive motions, so all irregular and extravagant
opinions are nothing but a change of Matters rational motions; onely
productions by rational motions are interior, and those by sensitive
motions exterior. For the Natural Mind is not less material then the
body, onely the Matter of the Mind is much purer and subtiller then
the Matter of the Body. And thus there is nothing in Nature but what
is material; but he that thinks it absurd to say, the World is
composed of meer self-moving Matter, may consider, that it is more
absurd to believe Immaterial substances or spirits in Nature, as also
a spirit of Nature, which is the Vicarious power of God upon Matter;
For why should it not be as probable, that God did give Matter a self-
moving power to her self, as to have made another Creature to
govern her? For Nature is not a Babe, or Child, to need such a
Spiritual Nurse, to teach her to go, or to move; neither is she so
young a Lady as to have need of a Governess, for surely she can
govern her self; she needs not a Guardian for fear she should run
away with a younger Brother, or one that cannot make her a
Jointure. But leaving those strange opinions to the fancies of their
Authors, I'le add no more, but that I am,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend,
and Servant.
 [1] Antid. l. 3. c. 15. a. 3.

VII.
MADAM,
Your Author being very earnest in arguing against those that
maintain the opinion of Matter being self-moving, amongst the rest
of his arguments brings in this:[1] Suppose, says he, Matter could
move it self, would meer Matter with self-motion amount to that
admirable wise contrivance of things which we see in the World?—All
the evasion I can imagine, our adversaries may use here, will be
this: That Matter is capable of sense, and the finest and most subtil
of the most refined sense; and consequently of Imagination too, yea
happily of Reason and Understanding. I answer, it is very probable,
that not onely all the Matter in the World or Universe hath Sense,
but also Reason; and that the sensitive part of matter is the builder,
and the rational the designer; whereof I have spoken of before, and
you may find more of it in my Book of Philosophy. But, says your
Author, Let us see, if all their heads laid together can contrive the
anatomical Fabrick of any Creature that liveth? I answer, all parts of
Nature are not bound to have heads or tayls; but if they have, surely
they are wiser then many a man's. I demand, says he, Has every
one of these Particles, that must have a hand in the framing of the
body of an animal, the whole design of the work by the Impress of
some Phantasme upon it? or as they have several offices, so have
they several parts of the design? I answer, All the actions of self-
moving Matter are not Impresses, nor is every part a hand-labourer,
but every part unites by degrees into such or such a Figure. Again,
says he, How is it conceiveable that any one Particle of Matter, or
many together, (there not existing, yet in Nature an animal) can
have the Idea Impressed of that Creature they are to frame? I
answer, all figures whatsoever have been, are, or can be in Nature,
are existent in nature. How, says he, can they in framing several
parts confer notes? by what language or speech can they
communicate their Counsels one to another? I answer, Knowledg
doth not always require speech, for speech is an effect and not a
cause, but knowledg is a cause and not an effect; and nature hath
infinite more ways to express knowledg then man can imagine,
Wherefore, he concludes, that they should mutually serve one
another in such a design, is more impossible, then that so many
men, blind and dumb from their nativity, should joyn their forces and
wits together to build a Castle, or carve a statue of such a Creature,
as none of them knew any more in several, then some one of the
smallest parts thereof, but not the relation it bore to the whole. I
answer, Nature is neither blind nor dumb, nor any ways defective,
but infinitely wise and knowing; for blindness and dumbness are but
effects of some of her particular actions, but there is no defect in
self-moving matter, nor in her actions in general; and it is absurd to
conceive the Generality of wisdom according to an Irregular effect or
defect of a particular Creature; for the General actions of Nature are
both life and knowledg, which are the architects of all Creatures, and
know better how to frame all kinds and sorts of Creatures then man
can conceive; and the several parts of Matter have a more easie way
of communication, then Mans head hath with his hand, or his hand
with pen, ink, and paper, when he is going to write; which later
example will make you understand my opinion the better, if you do
but compare the rational part of Matter to the head, the sensitive to
the hand, the inanimate to pen, ink and paper, their action to
writing, and their framed figures to those figures or letters which are
written; in all which is a mutual agreement without noise or trouble.
But give me leave, Madam, to tell you, That self-moving Matter may
sometimes erre and move irregularly, and in some parts not move so
strong, curious, or subtil at sometimes, as in other parts, for Nature
delights in variety; Nevertheless she is more wise then any Particular
Creature or part can conceive, which is the cause that Man thinks
Nature's wise, subtil and lively actions, are as his own gross actions,
conceiving them to be constrained and turbulent, not free and easie,
as well as wise and knowing; Whereas Nature's Creating, Generating
and Producing actions are by an easie connexion of parts to parts,
without Counterbuffs, Joggs and Jolts, producing a particular figure
by degrees, and in order and method, as humane sense and reason
may well perceive: And why may not the sensitive and rational part
of Matter know better how to make a Bee, then a Bee doth how to
make Honey and Wax? or have a better communication betwixt
them, then Bees that fly several ways, meeting and joyning to make
their Combes in their Hives? But pardon, Madam, for I think it a
Crime to compare the Creating, Generating and producing Corporeal
Life and Wisdom of Nature unto any particular Creature, although
every particular Creature hath their share, being a part of Nature.
Wherefore those, in my opinion, do grossly err, that bind up the
sensitive matter onely to taste, touch, hearing, seeing, and smelling;
as if the sensitive parts of Nature had not more variety of actions,
then to make five senses; for we may well observe, in every
Creature there is difference of sense and reason according to the
several modes of self-motion; For the Sun, Stars, Earth, Air, Fire,
Water, Plants, Animals, Minerals; although they have all sense and
knowledg, yet they have not all sense and knowledg alike, because
sense and knowledg moves not alike in every kind or sort of
Creatures, nay many times very different in one and the same
Creature; but yet this doth not cause a general Ignorance, as to be
altogether Insensible or Irrational, neither do the erroneous and
irregular actions of sense and reason prove an annihilation of sense
and reason; as for example, a man may become Mad or a Fool
through the irregular motions of sense and reason, and yet have still
the Perception of sense and reason, onely the alteration is caused
through the alteration of the sensitive and rational corporeal motions
or actions, from regular to irregular; nevertheless he has
Perceptions, Thoughts, Ideas, Passions, and whatsoever is made by
sensitive and rational Matter, neither can Perception be divided from
Motion, nor Motion from Matter; for all sensation is Corporeal, and
so is Perception. I can add no more, but take my leave, and rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1] Of the Immortality of the Soul, l. 1. c. 12.

VIII.
MADAM,
Your Author is pleased to say,[1] that Matter is a Principle purely
passive, and no otherwise moved or modified, then as some other
thing moves and modifies it, but cannot move it self at all; which is
most demonstrable to them that contend for sense and perception in
it: For if it had any such perception, it would, by vertue of its self-
motion withdraw its self from under the knocks of hammers, or fury
of the fire; or of its own accord approach to such things as are most
agreeable to it, and pleasing, and that without the help of muscles,
it being thus immediately endowed with a self-moving power. By his
leave, Madam, I must tell you, that I see no consequence in this
argument; Because some parts of matter cannot withdraw
themselves from the force and power of other parts, therefore they
have neither sense, reason, nor perception: For put the case, a man
should be over-powr'd by some other men, truely he would be
forced to suffer, and no Immaterial Spirits, I think, would assist him.
The very same may be said of other Creatures or parts of Nature;
for some may over-power others, as the fire, hammer and hand doth
over-power a Horse-shooe, which cannot prevail over so much odds
of power and strength; And so likewise it is with sickness and health,
life and death; for example, some corporeal motions in the body
turning Rebels, by moving contrary to the health of an animal
Creature, it must become sick; for not every particular creature hath
an absolute power, the power being in the Infinite whole, and not in
single divided parts: Indeed, to speak properly, there is no such
thing as an absolute power in Nature; for though Nature hath power
to move it self, yet not beyond it self. But mistake me not, for I
mean by an absolute Power; not a circumscribed and limited, but an
unlimited power, no ways bound or confined, but absolutely or every
way Infinite, and there is not anything that has such an absolute
power but God alone: neither can Nature be undividable, being
Corporeal or Material; nor rest from motion being naturally self-
moving, and in a perpetual motion. Wherefore though Matter is self-
moving, and very wise, (although your Author denies it, calling those
Fools that maintain this opinion)[2] yet it cannot go beyond the rules
of its Nature, no more then any Art can go beyond its Rules and
Principles: And as for what your Author says, That every thing would
approach to that, which is agreeable and pleasant; I think I need no
demonstration to prove it; for we may plainly see it in all effects of
Nature, that there is Sympathy and Antipathy, and what is this else,
but approaching to things agreeable and pleasant, and withdrawing
it self from things disagreeable, and hurtful or offensive? But of this
subject I shall discourse more hereafter, wherefore I finish here, and
rest,
Madam,
Your Faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1] Of the Immortality of the Soul, l. 2., c. 1. a. 3.
[2] In the Append. to the Antid. c. 3. a. 10.

IX.
MADAM,
Your Authors opinion is,[1] That Matter being once actually divided
as far as possibly it can, it is a perfect contradiction it should be
divided any further. I answer, Though Nature is Infinite, yet her
actions are not all dilative nor separative, but some divide and some
compose, some dilate and some contract, which causes a mean
betwixt Natures actions or motions. Next your Author says, That as
Infinite Greatness has no Figure, so Infinite Littleness hath none
also. I answer, Whatsoever hath a body, has a figure; for it is
impossible that substance, or body, and figure, should be separated
from each other, but wheresoever is body or substance, there is also
figure, and if there be an infinite substance, there must also be an
infinite figure, although not a certain determined or circumscribed
figure, for such a figure belongs onely to finite particulars; and
therefore I am of your Authors mind, That it is a contradiction to say
an Infinite Cube or Triangle, for a Cube and a Triangle is a perfect
circumscribed figure, having its certain compass and circumference,
be it never so great or little; wherefore to say an Infinite Cube,
would be as much as to say a Finite Infinite. But as for your Authors
example of Infinite matter, space or duration, divided into three
equal parts, all which he says must needs be Infinite, or else the
whole will not be so, and then the middle part of them will seem
both Finite and Infinite. I answer, That Matter is not dividable into
three equal parts, for three is a finite number and so are three equal
parts; but I say that Matter being an Infinite body, is dividable into
Infinite parts, and it doth not follow, as your Author says, That one
of those infinite parts must be infinite also, for else there would be
no difference betwixt the whole and its parts; I say whole for
distinctions and better expressions sake, and do not mean such a
whole which hath a certain number of parts, and is of a certain and
limited figure, although never so great; but an Infinite whole, which
expression I must needs use, by reason I speak of Infinite parts;
and that each one of these Infinite parts in number may be finite in
substance or figure, is no contradiction, but very probable and
rational; nay, I think it rather absurd to say that each part is infinite;
for then there would be no difference betwixt parts and whole, as I
said before. Onely this is to be observed, that the Infinite whole is
Infinite in substance or bulk, but the parts are Infinite in number,
and not in bulk, for each part is circumscribed, and finite in its
exterior figure and substance. But mistake me not, when I speak of
circumscribed and finite single parts; for I do not mean, that each
part doth subsist single and by it self, there being no such thing as
an absolute single part in Nature, but Infinite Matter being by self-
motion divided into an infinite number of parts, all these parts have
so near a relation to each other, and to the infinite whole, that one
cannot subsist without the other; for the Infinite parts in number do
make the Infinite whole, and the Infinite whole consists in the
Infinite number of parts; wherefore it is onely their figures which
make a difference betwixt them; for each part having its proper
figure different from the other, which is circumscribed and limited, it
is called a finite single part; and such a part cannot be said Infinitely
dividable, for infinite composition and division belong onely to the
Infinite body of Nature, which being infinite in substance may also
be infinitely divided, but not a finite and single part: Besides, Infinite
composition doth hinder the Infinite division, and Infinite division
hinders the Infinite composition; so that one part cannot be either
infinitely composed, or infinitely divided; and it is one thing to be
dividable, and another to be divided. And thus, when your Author
mentions in another place,[2] That if a body be divisible into Infinite
Parts, it hath an Infinite number of extended parts: If by extension
he mean corporeal dimension, I am of his opinion; for there is no
part, be it never so little in Nature, but is material; and if material, it
has a body; and if a body, it must needs have a bodily dimension;
and so every part will be an extended part: but since there is no part
but is finite in its self, it cannot be divisible into infinite parts; neither
can any part be infinitely dilated or contracted; for as composition
and division do hinder and obstruct each other from running into
Infinite, so doth dilation hinder the Infinite contraction, and
contraction the Infinite dilation, which, as I said before, causes a
mean betwixt Nature's actions; nevertheless, there are Infinite
dilations and contractions in Nature, because there are Infinite
contracted and dilated parts, and so are infinite divisions because
there are infinite divided parts; but contraction, dilation, extension,
composition, division, and the like, are onely Nature's several
actions; and as there can be no single part in Nature that is Infinite,
so there can neither be any single Infinite action. But as for Matter,
Motion and Figure, those are Individable and inseparable, and make
but one body or substance; for it is as impossible to divide them, as
impossible it is to your Author to separate the essential proprieties,
which he gives, from an Immortal Spirit; And as Matter, Motion and
Figure are inseparable; so is likewise Matter, Space, Place and
Duration; For Parts, Motion, Figure, Place and Duration, are but one
Infinite body; onely the Infinite parts are the Infinite divisions of the
Infinite body, and the Infinite body is a composition of the Infinite
parts; but figure, place and body are all one, and so is time, and
duration, except you will call time the division of duration, and
duration the composition of time; but infinite time, and infinite
duration is all one in Nature: and thus Nature's Principal motions and
actions are dividing, composing, and disposing or ordering,
according to her Natural wisdom, by the Omnipotent God's leave and
permission. Concerning the Sun, which your Author speaks of in the
same place, and denies him to be a Spectator of our particular
affairs upon Earth; saying, there is no such divine Principle in him,
whereby he can do it. I will speak nothing again it, nor for it; but I
may say, that the Sun hath such a Principle as other Creatures have,
which is, that he has sensitive and rational corporeal motions, as
well as animals or other Creatures, although not in the same
manner, nor the same organs; and if he have sensitive and rational
motions, he may also have sensitive and rational knowledg or
perception, as well as man, or other animals and parts of Nature
have, for ought any body knows; for it is plain to humane sense and
reason, that all Creatures must needs have rational and sensitive
knowledg, because they have all sensitive and rational matter and
motions. But leaving the Sun for Astronomers to contemplate upon,
I take my leave, and rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend,
and Servant.
[1] In the Preface before the Imm. of the Soul.
[2] Antid. Book. 2. c. 4.
 X.
MADAM,
Your Author in his arguments against Motion, being a Principle of
Nature,[1] endeavours to prove, that Beauty, Colour, Symmetry, and
the like, in Plants, as well as in other Creatures, are no result from
the meer motion of the matter; and forming this objection, It may
be said, says he, That the regular motion of the matter made the
first plant of every kind; but we demand, What regulated the motion
of it, so as to guide it, to form it self into such a state? I answer, The
Wisdom of Nature or infinite Matter did order its own actions so, as
to form those her Parts into such an exact and beautiful figure, as
such a Tree, or such a Flower, or such a Fruit, and the like; and
some of her Parts are pleased and delighted with other parts, but
some of her parts are afraid or have an aversion to other parts; and
hence is like and dislike, or sympathy and antipathy, hate and love,
according as nature, which is infinite self-moving matter, pleases to
move; for though Natural Wisdom is dividable into parts, yet these
parts are united in one infinite Body, and make but one Being in it
self, like as the several parts of a man make up but one perfect man;
for though a man may be wise in several causes or actions, yet it is
but one wisdom; and though a Judg may shew Justice in several
causes, yet it is but one Justice; for Wisdom and Justice, though
they be practised in several causes, yet it is but one Wisdom, and
one Justice; and so, all the parts of a mans body, although they
move differently, yet are they but one man's bodily actions; Just as a
man, if he carve or cut out by art several statues, or draw several
Pictures, those statues or pictures are but that one man's work. The
like may be said of Natures Motions and Figures; all which are but
one self-active or self-moving Material Nature. But Wise Nature's
Ground or Fundamental actions are very Regular, as you may
observe in the several and distinct kinds, sorts and particulars of her
Creatures, and in their distinct Proprieties, Qualities, and Faculties,
belonging not onely to each kind and sort, but to each particular
Creature; and since man is not able to know perfectly all those
proprieties which belong to animals, much less will he be able to
know and judg of those that are in Vegetables, Minerals and
Elements; and yet these Creatures, for any thing Man knows, may
be as knowing, understanding, and wise as he; and each as knowing
of its kind or sort, as man is of his; But the mixture of ignorance and
knowledg in all Creatures proceeds from thence, that they are but
Parts; and there is no better proof, that the mind of man is dividable,
then that it is not perfectly knowing; nor no better proof that it is
composeable, then that it knows so much: but all minds are not
alike, but some are more composed then others, which is the cause,
some know more then others; for if the mind in all men were alike,
all men would have the same Imaginations, Fancies, Conceptions,
Memories, Remembrances, Passions, Affections, Understanding, and
so forth: The same may be said of their bodies; for if all mens
sensitive parts were as one, and not dividable and composeable, all
their Faculties, Proprieties, Constitutions, Complexions, Appetites,
would be the same in every man without any difference; but
humane sense and reason doth well perceive, that neither the mind,
life nor body are as one piece, without division and composition.
Concerning the divine Soul, I do not treat of it; onely this I may say,
That all are not devout alike, nor those which are, are not at all
times alike devout. But to conclude: some of our modern
Philosophers think they do God good service, when they endeavour
to prove Nature, as Gods good Servant, to be stupid, ignorant,
foolish and mad, or any thing rather then wise, and yet they believe
themselves wise, as if they were no part of Nature; but I cannot
imagine any reason why they should rail on her, except Nature had
not given them as great a share or portion, as she hath given to
others; for children in this case do often rail at their Parents, for
leaving their Brothers and Sisters more then themselves. However,
Nature can do more then any of her Creatures: and if Man can Paint,
Imbroider, Carve, Ingrave curiously; why may not Nature have more
Ingenuity, Wit and Wisdom then any of her particular Creatures? The
same may be said of her Government. And so leaving Wise Nature, I
rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1] Append. to the Antid. c. 11.

XI.
MADAM,
To your Authors argument,[1] That if Motion belong naturally to
Matter, Matter being Uniform, it must be alike moved in every part or
particle imaginable of it, by reason this Motion being natural and
essential to Matter, is alike every way. I answer, That this is no more
necessary, then that the several actions of one body, or of one part
of a body should be alike; for though Matter is one and the same in
its Nature, and never changes, yet the motions are various, which
motions are the several actions of one and the same Natural Matter;
and this is the cause of so many several Creatures; for self-moving
matter by its self-moving power can act several ways, modes or
manners; and had not natural matter a self-acting power, there
could not be any variety in Nature; for Nature knows of no rest,
there being no such thing as rest in Nature; but she is in a perpetual
motion, I mean self-motion, given her from God: Neither do I think it
Atheistical (as your Author deems) to maintain this opinion of self-
motion, as long as I do not deny the Omnipotency of God; but I
should rather think it Irreligious to make so many several Creatures
as Immaterial Spirits, like so many severall Deities, to rule and
govern Nature and all material substances in Nature; for what
Atheism doth there lie in saying, that natural matter is naturally
moving, and wise in her self? Doth this oppose the omnipotency and
Infinite wisdom of God? It rather proves and confirms it; for all
Natures free power of moving and wisdom is a gift of God, and
proceeds from him; but I must confess, it destroys the power of
Immaterial substances, for Nature will not be ruled nor governed by
them, and to be against Natural Immaterial substances, I think, is no
Atheisme, except we make them Deities; neither is Atheisme to
contradict the opinion of those, that believe such natural incorporeal
Spirits, unless man make himself a God. But although Nature is wise,
as I said before, and acts methodically, yet the variety of motions is
the cause of so many Irregularities in Nature, as also the cause of
Irregular opinions; for all opinions are made by self-moving matters
motions, or (which is all one) by corporeal self-motion, and some in
their opinions do conceive Nature according to the measure of
themselves, as that Nature can, nor could not do more, then they
think, nay, some believe they can do as much as Nature doth; which
opinions, whether they be probable or regular, I'le let any man judg;
adding onely this, that to humane sense and reason it appears
plainly, that as God has given Nature a power to act freely, so he
doth approve of her actions, being wise and methodical in all her
several Productions, Generations, Transformations and Designs: And
so I conclude for the present, onely subscribe my self, as really I am,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend,
and Servant.
[1] Antid. l. 2. c. 1.

XII.
MADAM,
I am of your Authors opinion, concerning self-activity or self-motion,
[1] That what is Active of it self, can no more cease to be active then
to be: And I have been always of this opinion, even from the first
beginning of my conceptions in natural Philosophy, as you may see
in my first Treatise of Natural Philosophy, which I put forth eleven
years since; where I say, That self-moving Matter is in a Perpetual
motion; But your Author endeavors from thence to conclude, That
Matter is not self active, because it is reducible to rest. To which I
answer, That there is no such thing as Rest in Nature: Not do I say,
that all sorts of motions are subject to our senses, for those that are
subject to our sensitive Perceptions, are but gross Motions, in
comparison to those that are not subject to our exterior senses: as
for example; We see some bodies dilate, others consume, others
corrupt; yet we do not see how they dilate, nor how they consume,
nor how they corrupt: Also we see some bodies contract, some
attract, some condense, some consist, &c. yet we do not see their
contracting, attracting, condensing, consisting or retenting motions;
and yet we cannot say, they are not corporeal motions, because not
subject to our exterior senses; for if there were not contracting,
attracting, retenting or consistent corporeal self-motions, it had been
impossible that any creature could have been composed into one
united figure, much less stayed and continued in the same figure
without a general alteration. But your Author says, If Matter, as
Matter, had Motion, nothing would hold together, but Flints,
Adamants, Brass, Iron, yea, this whole Earth, would suddenly melt
into a thinner substance then the subtil Air, or rather it never had
been condensated together to this consistency we find it. But I
would ask him, what reason he can give, that corporeal self-motion
should make all matter rare and fluid, unless he believe there is but
one kind of motion in Nature, but this, human sense and reason will
contradict; for we may observe there are Infinite changes of Motion,
and there is more variety and curiosity in corporeal motions, then
any one single Creature can imagine, much less know; but I suppose
he conceives all corporeal matter to be gross, and that not any
corporeal motion can be subtil, penetrating, contracting and dilating;
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