n 



INTRODUCTION. 



and plants, and even the Inftind of brutes, by which they preferre 

 the individuals, and continue the race in fo wonderful a manner *• 



The other fyftem of Modern theifm is that of Sir Ifaac Newton. 

 His philofophy is not fo comprehenfive as the philofophy of Des 

 Cartes ; for he does not meddle with plants or animals here on 

 earth, except that he has faid, that fenfation, and the fpontane- 

 ous movement of animals, are produced by 2ijubtilcfpirit'\ : Bitt 

 he has nowhere faid, nor do I believe he thought,, that the 

 bodies of plants or animals are the work of mere matter and me- 

 chanifm. It is with the ftars chiefly that his philofophy is conver- 

 fant ; and, with refpedt to them, he admits that they were formed by 

 Almighty Power and Wifdom, and alfo put in motion ; but, being 

 once fet agoing, he maintains that they go on of themfelves by the 

 power of matter and mechanifm merely, without the agency of 

 Mind J. 



The antient fyftem of theifm, which I here prefent to tlie reader, is. 

 ^cry different from either of thofe two above mentioned. It proceeds 

 upon this principle, that Mind is the author of all the motion in the 

 univerfe, which, though it may be continued and propagated by ihe 

 impulfe of Body upon Body, muft have originated from Mind : So- 

 that all Bodies are moved by Mind, either mediately or immediately ;, 

 and, therefore, when Body is moved, and it cannot be fliown to be 

 moved by the impulfe of another Body, it muft neceflarlly be fuppofed- 

 to be moved immediately and diredly by Mind. The confequence of 

 this principle is, that, as the motions of animals, vegetables, and vari- 

 ous other motions upon earth, cannot be accounted for from any ma- 

 terial 



• Sec what I have further faid concerning Des Cartes's philofophy in the Diflerta- 



tion annexed to this rolume. 

 t Principia^ in fine. 

 % See aho, concerning this philofophy, the DiflTcrtation annexed. 



