_MADAM,_
Your _Author_ having assigned Indivisibility to the Soul or Spirit that
moves and actuates matter, I desire to know, how one Indivisible Spirit
can be in so many dividable parts? For there being Infinite parts in
Nature, they must either have one Infinite Spirit to move them, which
must be dilated infinitely, or this Spirit must move severally in
every part of Nature: If the first, then I cannot conceive, but all
motion must be uniform, or after one and the same manner; nay, I cannot
understand, how there can be any dilation and contraction, or rather
any motion of the same spirit, by reason if it dilate, then, (being
equally spread out in all the parts of Matter,) it must dilate beyond
Matter; and if it contract, it must leave some parts of matter void,
and without motion. But if the Spirit moves every part severally, then
he is divisible; neither can I think, that there are so many Spirits
as there are Parts in Nature; for your _Author_ says, there is but
one Spirit of Nature; I will give an easie and plain example: When a
Worm is cut into two or three parts, we see there is sensitive life
and motion in every part, for every part will strive and endeavour
to meet and joyn again to make up the whole body; now if there were
but one indivisible Life, Spirit, and Motion, I would fain know, how
these severed parts could move all by one Spirit. Wherefore, Matter,
in my opinion, has self-motion in it self, which is the onely soul
and life of Nature, and is dividable as well as composable, and full
of variety of action; for it is as easie for several parts to act
in separation, as in composition, and as easie in composition as in
separation; Neither is every part bound to one kind or sort of Motions;
for we see in exterior local motions, that one man can put his body
into several shapes and postures, much more can Nature. But is it not
strange, _Madam_, that a man accounts it absurd, ridiculous, and a
prejudice to Gods Omnipotency, to attribute self-motion to Matter,
or a material Creature, when it is not absurd, ridiculous, or any
prejudice to God, to attribute it to an Immaterial Creature? What
reason of absurdity lies herein? Surely I can conceive none, except
it be absurd and ridiculous to make that, which no man can know or
conceive what it is, _viz._ an immaterial natural Spirit, (which is
as much as to say, a natural No-thing) to have motion, and not onely
motion, but self-motion; nay, not onely self-motion, but to move,
actuate, rule, govern, and guide Matter, or corporeal Nature, and to
be the cause of all the most curious varieties and effects in nature:
Was not God able to give self-motion as well to a Material, as to an
Immaterial Creature, and endow Matter with a self-moving power? I do
not say, _Madam_, that Matter hath motion of it self, so, that it is
the prime cause and principle of its own self-motion; for that were
to make Matter a God, which I am far from believing; but my opinion
is, That the self-motion of Matter proceeds from God, as well as the
self-motion of an Immaterial Spirit; and that I am of this opinion, the
last Chapter of my Book of Philosophy will enform you, where I treat of
the Deitical Centre, as the Fountain from whence all things do flow,
and which is the supream Cause, Author, Ruler and Governor of all.
Perhaps you will say, it is, because I make Matter Eternal. 'Tis true,
_Madam_, I do so: but I think Eternity doth not take off the dependance
upon God, for God may nevertheless be above Matter, as I have told you
before. You may ask me how that can be? I say, As well as any thing
else that God can do beyond our understanding: For I do but tell you my
opinion, that I think it most probable to be so, but I can give you no
Mathematical Demonstrations for it: Onely this I am sure of, That it is
not impossible for the Omnipotent God; and he that questions the truth
of it, may question Gods Omnipotency. Truly, _Madam_, I wonder how
man can say, God is Omnipotent, and can do beyond our Understanding,
and yet deny all that he is not able to comprehend with his reason.
However, as I said, it is my opinion, That Matter is self-moving by the
power of God; Neither can Animadversion, and Perception, as also the
variety of Figures, prove, that there must be another external Agent or
Power to work all this in Matter; but it proves rather the contrary;
for were there no self-motion in Matter, there would be no Perception,
nor no variety of Creatures in their Figures, Shapes, Natures,
Qualities, Faculties, Proprieties, as also in their Productions,
Creations or Generations, Transformations, Compositions, Dissolutions,
and the like, as Growth, Maturity, Decay, &c. and for Animals, were not
Corporeal Matter self-moving, dividable and composable; there could not
be such variety of Passions, Complexions, Humors, Features, Statures,
Appetites, Diseases, Infirmities, Youth, Age, &c. Neither would they
have any nourishing Food, healing Salves, soveraign Medicines, reviving
Cordials, or deadly Poysons. In short, there is so much variety in
Nature, proceeding from the self-motion of Matter, as not possible to
be numbred, nor thorowly known by any Creature: Wherefore I should
labour in vain, if I endeavoured to express any more thereof; and this
is the cause that I break off here, and onely subscribe my self,
Madam,
_Your faithful Friend_
_and Servant._