_MADAM,_
Your _Author_ demands,[1] _Whether there was ever any man, that was
not mortal, and whether there be any mortal that had not a beginning?_
Truly, if nature be eternal, all the material figures which ever were,
are, and can be, must be also eternal in nature; for the figures cannot
be annihilated, unless nature be destroyed; and although a Creature
is dissolved and transformed into numerous different figures, yet all
these several figures remain still in those parts of matter, whereof
that creature was made, for matter never changes, but is always one
and the same, and figure is nothing else but matter transposed or
transformed by motion several modes or ways. But if you conceive
Matter to be one thing, Figure another, and Motion a third, several,
distinct and dividable from each other, it will produce gross errors,
for, matter, motion, and figure, are but one thing. And as for that
common question, whether the Egg was before the Chick, or the Chick
before the Egg, it is but a thred-bare argument, which proves nothing,
for there is no such thing as First in Eternity, neither doth Time
make productions or generations, but Matter; and whatsoever matter can
produce or generate, was in matter before it was produced; wherefore
the question is, whether Matter, which is Nature, had a beginning, or
not? I say not: for put the case, the figures of Earth, Air, Water,
and Fire, Light and Colours, Heat and Cold, Animals, Vegetables and
Minerals, &c. were not produced from all Eternity, yet those figures
have nevertheless been in Matter, which is Nature, from all eternity,
for these mentioned Creatures are onely made by the corporeal motions
of Matter, transforming Matter into such several figures; Neither can
there be any perishing or dying in Nature, for that which Man calls so,
is onely an alteration of Figure. And as all other productions are but
a change of Matters sensitive motions, so all irregular and extravagant
opinions are nothing but a change of Matters rational motions; onely
productions by rational motions are interior, and those by sensitive
motions exterior. For the Natural Mind is not less material then the
body, onely the Matter of the Mind is much purer and subtiller then the
Matter of the Body. And thus there is nothing in Nature but what is
material; but he that thinks it absurd to say, the World is composed
of meer self-moving Matter, may consider, that it is more absurd to
believe Immaterial substances or spirits in Nature, as also a spirit of
Nature, which is the Vicarious power of God upon Matter; For why should
it not be as probable, that God did give Matter a self-moving power to
her self, as to have made another Creature to govern her? For Nature
is not a Babe, or Child, to need such a Spiritual Nurse, to teach her
to go, or to move; neither is she so young a Lady as to have need of a
Governess, for surely she can govern her self; she needs not a Guardian
for fear she should run away with a younger Brother, or one that cannot
make her a Jointure. But leaving those strange opinions to the fancies
of their Authors, I'le add no more, but that I am,
Madam,
_Your faithful Friend,_
_and Servant._
[1] _Antid. l._ 3. _c._ 15. _a._ 3.