122 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



€Xift either in the one ftate or the other. 

 But, ftrppofing it once exifling in a mo- 

 ring ftate, the continuance of the motion 

 implies no adlivity in the body, any more 

 than it requires activity to preferve a qui- 

 cfcent body in a ftate of reft. And wc 

 may, with equal reafon, inquire for the 

 caufe of the continuation ot reft, as for a 

 caufe of the continuation of motion. 



Philosophers have indeed entertain- 

 ed various opinions concerning the conti- 

 nuation of motion. Ariftotle endeavour- 

 ed to explain it by means of a vehicle or 

 the circumpulfion of fluid matter, hereby 

 only evading the queftion, as the fame 

 difficulty returned, how the motion of this 

 fluid continued. And many of the mo- 

 derns have imagined reft to be the proper 

 ftate of inactive matter, to which it natu- 

 rally tended ; and have afcribed the con- 

 tinuance of motion to the conftant and 

 immediate agency of the Deity, or of fome 

 delegated intelligent power^ 



How far the concurrence of the Deity 

 is neceflary to the fupport of created be- 

 ings in general, is perhaps impoflible for 



