wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and

Chap. III. of the Fortuitous Atheifms, i nWherefore we conclude, that Tlato took no notice of any other form ofathcifm, as then fet on foot, than fuch as derives all things from a mere fortuitousprinciple, from nature aid chance, that i?, the unguided motion ofmatter, without any plaftick artiSicialnefs or methodicalnefs, either in thewhole univerfe, or the parts of if. But becaufe this kind of atheifm, whichderives all things from a mere fortuitous nature, had been managed two mannerof ways, by Democritus in the way of atoms, and by ^inaximander andothers in the way of forms and qualities ;(of Vi^hich we are to fpeak in thenext place;) therefore the atheifm, which P/a/o oppofes, was either the Democritickor the Anaximandrian atheifm j or elfe (which is moll probable) bothof them together.IX. It is hardly imaginable, that there fliould be no philoiophick Atheifls inthe world before Democritus and Leucippus. Plato ' long fince concluded, that/-. SSS. Ed.there have been Atheilts, more or Icfs, in every age, when he befpeaks his ^''•young Atheift after this manner ; OJ c-j ,uov^ iSi o-oi i^iAoi zr^-aroi kx\ w^ajoKt^i'Jt!)!) oorav tirjoi S'jM!/ Etr^sTf, yuvcvTM it a,n urAEisf n eAktIkj raJriii; tw voVou evou-TEf The • full fenfe whereof feems to be this -, Neither you., my [on, nor yourfriends [Democritus., Leucippus a.r\d Protagoras) are tbefirjl., who have entertainedthis opinion concerning the gods., hit there have been always fome moreor lefs Jick of this atheifiick difeafe. Wherefore we fliall novv make a diligentfearch and enquiry, to fee if we can find any otlicr philofophers, who atheizedbefore Democritus and Leucippus., as alio what form of atheifm they entertained./iriflotle in his Metaphyficks, fpeaking of the quaternio of caufes, affirms,that many of thofe, who firft philolophized, affigned only a material caufe ofthe whole mundane fyflem, without either intending or efficient caufe. Thereafon whereof he intimates to have been this, becaufe they afferted matter tobe the only fubftance ; and that whatfoever elfe was in the world, befides thefubftance or bulk of matter, were all nothing elfe but Tri^n, different paffionsand affetflions, accidents and qualities of matter, that were all generated out ofif, and corruptible again into it; the fubftance of matter always remainingthe fame, neither generated nor corrupted, but from eternity unmade ; Arifio'.le'%words are * thefe : tmv uT^utmu (pjAoo-o^rtrjcvTcou o\ irXCr-Oi rixg e'h uA>if iiSn* Ltk I.