236 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book II. 



* trates the very folld fubftance of all bodies, and continually puts 



* forth in them a force or power entirely different from that by which 



* matter ads on matter ; which is, by the way, an evident demonflra- 



* tion, not only of the world*s being made originally by a vSupreme 



* Intelligent caule, but, moreover, that it c^epends every moment on 



* fome Superior Being, iorxhe pre/ervation of its frame; and that all the 



* great motions in it are caufed by fome immaterial power, not having 



* originally imprefied a a certain quantity of motion upon matter, but 

 ' perpetually and actually exerting itfelf every moment, in every part 



* of the world. Which preferring and governing poiver^ whether it 



* be immediately the power and action of the lame Supreme Caufe that 



* created the world, or of iome lubordinate inllruments appointed by 

 ' him, to dired and prefide refpedively over certain parts thereof, does 



* either way give us a very noble idea of Providence *.' From thefe 

 words, it is evident, that this great author believed it to be an efTential 

 part of the dodrineof Theifm, that all the m,otions of the univerfe, and 

 particularly the motlonof gravitation, were not only begun, but conti- 

 nued and carried on, by an immaterial power, perpetually and adually 

 exerting itfelf, not by a motion originally impreffed upon matter^ ac- 

 cording to the dodrinc of the modern Newtonians ; and, further, that 

 he thought it no abfurdity to believe, that this immaterial power was 

 not the Supreme Power that created the world, but fubordinate inftru- 

 ments, appointed by him to dired and prefide over certain parts 

 thereof. 



Thus, I think, I have fhown, that my dodrlne is no novelty, nor 

 any crude notion of my own, obtruded upon the public. But it will 

 be faid, that it is not the lefs abfurd for being fupported by great au- 

 thorities and great names; that it is contrary to common lenfe, as well 

 as common language, to maintain, that inanimate bodies are animated. 



And, 



* Pag. r6. ry. and i8. edit. 4th. 



