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

Chap. III. Plaflick Life of Naturei \ 8 !•' from the heat and cold of the univerfe ; from whence it appears, th;t* Anjiotle alfo held the world's animation, with further undeniable proof* thereof. An anfwer to two the moft confiderable places of that phi.'ofo-* pher, that feem to imply the contrary. That Arijfcile's firft immoveable* mover was no foul, but a perfedt intcllefl abftrad from matter; but that' he fuppofed this to move only as a final caufe, or as beino- loved, and be-' fides ic, a mundane foul and plaflick nature, to move tlie heavens effici-* ently. Neither Ariftotle's nature, nor his mundane foul, the fupreme'^Deity. However, though there be no fuch mundane foul, as both Plato' and Ariftotle conceived, yet notwithfl:anding there may be a plaftick na-' ture depending upon a higher intelleaual principle, 25. No impodi-« bility of fome other particular plaftick principles ; and though it be not' reafonable to think, that every plant, herb, and pile of grafi, hath a* plaftick or vegetative foul of its own, nor that the earth is an animal ; yet' that there may pofiibly be one plaftick inconfcious nature in the whole' terraqueous globe, by which vegetables may be fcverally organized and' framed, and all things performed, which tranfcend the power of fortuitous' mechanifm. 26. Our fecond undertaking, which was to fliew how groftythofe this plaftick nature) mifunderftand ic' and abufe the notion, to make a counterfeit God-Almighty or Numea» of it, to theexclufion of the true Deity. Firft, in their fuppofing, that to* be the firft and higheft principle of the univerfe, which is th'e laft and* loweft of all lives, a thing as eflentially derivative from, and dependent* upon a higher intelledlual principle, as the echo on the original voice.' 27. Secondly, in their making fenfe and reafon in animals to°emeroe out.« of a fenflefs life of nature, by the mere modification and organization;' of matter. That no duplication of corporeal organs can ever make one* Hngle inconfcious life to advance into redoubled confcioufnefs and fclf-* enjoyment. 28. Thirdly, in attributing perfed knowledge and under-* ftandingto this life of nature, which yet thcmfelves fuppofe to be devoid'* of all animal fenfe and confcioufnefs. 29. Laftly, in making the plaftick' life of nature to be merely corporeal ; the Hylozoifts contending, that it«- is but an inadequate conception of body, as the only fubftance; and fond-' ly dreaming, that the vulgar notion ot God is nothing but fuch an inade-^ quate conception of the matter of the whole univerfe,»•^lete and entire fubfliance by itfelf, the caufe of all things.'miftaken for a com-THE