12 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



mitted, that the Deity, in adling upon 

 matter, fubjedts hitnfelf to the fame flricl 

 and invariable laws which govern mat- 

 ter, fappofing it to have a power of mo- 

 tion. .Therefore, the hiftory of nature 

 will be the fame, upon either fuppofition. 

 At the fame time, as this hypothefii not 

 only contradi<5ts common fenfe, but, in 

 place of a beautiful chain of caufes and 

 effccls, difcoverable in the operations of 

 matter, prefents a deformed and crude 

 fcene, which detracls from the wifdo;n of 

 thei Deity ; I think it of confequeace to 

 beftow fome thoughts upon it : And I 

 am hopeful to make it evident, that this 

 hypothefis has no fupport from reafoa 

 more than from experience. 



To put an end to a good deal of loofe 

 |-eafoning upon this fubjefl, it will be ne- 

 ceSary to afcertain the meaning of the 

 terms material and immaterial ; which are 

 ufed by writers without any accurate 

 meaning. All beings and exiflences mufl. 

 be either material or immaterial ; or, in 

 other words, muft be matter or not mat- 

 ter : Therefore, if we know what is mat- 

 ter^ 



