

and on its alleged Infinite Divisibility^. 363 



thus self-subsisting, — thus a First Cause, as having no ante- 

 cedent whatever, — thus infinite ; — and if infinite, as there can 

 be but one infinite, there can be but one such particle of ma- 

 terial substance, which is absurd ; such a supposition would 

 render creation impossible, by requiring a number of infinite 

 things to constitute its parts ! Such a doctrine, if for argument 

 sake it were admitted, would place Deity in matter itself, — 

 in the lowest sphere of created existence instead of in a sphere 

 infinitely above all created existences, the life and subsistence 

 of which are the effects of a continued momentary emanation 

 fi-om Him ; — whereas nothing but a derived life and existence 

 appear to belong to matter, and those of the lowest order. No- 

 thing, for instance, of motion, except in a derived and se- 

 condary degree, appears to belong to matter, much less the 

 power in which motion finally originates, namely Life itself, 

 Life in its origin, — or the Divine Essence. Material sub- 

 stance then, considered in itself, or in its origin, is a passive 

 substance, the simple effect or created result of immaterial 

 substance. The visible and invisible worlds are no doubt 

 thus mysteriously connected with each other, throughout the 

 various gradations of Cause and Effect, from the Divine Arti- 

 ficer himself down to the lowest things of his creation : — and 

 if these lowest things were for a moment disconnected and in- 

 dependent of their causes, they would lose their support, and 

 instantly perish : so necessary is the constant exercise of Di- 

 vine Power to uphold that which it has created, that sub- 

 sistence may justly be termed perpetual creation. But how 

 this connection is carried on, and in what manner material 

 substance is formed or created from immaterial substance, can 

 no otherwise be explained than by considering them in the 

 relation of cause and effect ; b}' the thing prior operating a 

 medium whereby it may descend into the extreme or ultimate ; 

 this prior thing being itself a created existence from the only 

 self-subsisting existence, which is God : the whole being thus 

 the work of God in successive order. 



The primary particles of matter, or the substances of which 

 the material universe is compounded, appear evidently to be 



f)assive, and to be operated upon by active substances of a 

 ligher order in creation : and that this is the case, may be 

 concluded from observing the various subjects in nature, to 

 the life of which matter may be said to seive as a fixing' or 

 ultimate medium, or instrumental basis ; for nothing of life 

 appears to belong inherently to the material substances com- 

 posing those forms or subjects in nature : on the contrary, 

 the material substances composing such forms, seem to con- 

 tain and to be operated upon l»y interior forms of life, actuat- 



Z z 2 ing 



