Ghap. I. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 45 



B G O K IE 



(Df the Principles conftitucing the Universe, 



CHAP. I. 



Xhe Science, of Metaphyftcs takes in the ivhole Uni'verfe, as it treats of 

 the Caiifes and Principles of Things — Thefe reducible to three Heads 

 — (9/ Matter and Form — Thefe eafily diftinguipoable in Works of 

 Art \ aljo in the Works of Nature — Of Matter — difficult to form an 

 Idea 0/ Matter — the fame Difficulty ivith refpccl /o Subftance — Mr 

 Locke's Notions concerning Matter and Subftance — Whether ihefrfl 

 Matter has a real Exijience — Whether it has a feparate Exifcnce — 

 DigreJ/ion concerning the reality of Ideas — Difindlion made upon that 

 Head — Opinion of the Pythagoreans, Plato^ and Ariftotle, concerning 

 Matter — Matter not to be perceived by the Senfes^ nor to he appre- 

 hended even by the Intelleii^ except by Analogy — No perfe^ Idea, or 

 Knoivledge of the Efjence of any natural Subjlance, 



N the preceeding Book I have fpoken of beings and its mod gene- 

 ral attributes, fuch as motioUy energy^ a^ion, pa/Jwn^ habit, poivei', 

 and the like ; and what I have there faid may, I think, fuffice for that 

 part of the fcience which, by our modern metaphyficians, is called 

 Ontology. This part of the work. I confider as only preparatory to 

 what is to follow ; for the proper fubjeO of metaphyfics is the Uni^ 

 verfe, and the firft caufes and principles of things ; and, among thefe, 

 chiefly mind, which, as it is thtfrf caufe of all things, is, as I have 

 faid, the chief fubjed of metaphyfics, 



The 



