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

Chap. IV. imperfeSi Theifls, 199by Balbiis the Stoick, to make up the idea or definition of God complete :Talem ejje deum certa Kofione animi prafentimus ; primhn^ ttt fit animans ;C!'^^''' «/'? A***'-deinde, ut in omni naiura nihil illo fit fraftantius. We prefage concerning rQ^_^'yy-,^God, by a certain notion of our mind; firji, that he is an animans, or con- p, 2^77-fcioujly living being ; and then fecondly, that he is fuch an animans, as that Tom. IX.there is nothing in the whole univerfe, or nature of things, more excellent ^^"-^than him.Wherefore ihefe Materiarian Theifts acknowledged God to be a perfetftlyimderftandingbeing, and fuch as had alfo power over the whole matterof the univerfe ; which was utterly unable to move itfelf, or to produceany thing without him. And all of them, except the Anaxagoreans \ concluded,that he was the creator of all the forms of inanimate bodies, andof the fouls of animals. However, it was univerfally agreed upon amongftthem, that he was at leaft the orderer and difpofer of all j and that thereforehe might upon that account well be called the J'^i.wiKfj'Of, the maker errframer of the world.Notwithftanding v/hich, fo long as they maintained matter to exift independentlyupon God, and fometimes alfo to be r(;fra6lory and contumaciousto him, and by that means to be the caufe of evil, contrary to thedivine will ; it is plain, that they could not acknowledge the divine omnipotence,according to the full and proper fenfe of it : which may alio furtherappear from thefc queries of Seneca * concerning God ; ^antumDeiis pojft ? materiatn ipfe ftbi formet, an data utatur ? Deus qnicquid vultefficiat ? an in mult is rebus illnm traSlanda dejlituant, ^ u magna artificeprave formentur multa, non quia cejfat ars, fed quia id, in quo exercetur, fapeinobfequens arti efl ? How far God's pozver does extend ? whether he makeshis own matter, or only ufe that which is offered him ? whether he can dowhatfoever he will ? or the materials in many things fruflrate and difappointhim, and by that means things come to be ill-framed by this great artificer^vot becaufe his art fails him, but becaufe that, which it is exercifed upon, provesflubborn and contumacious ? Wherefore, I think, we may well conclude,that thofe Materiarian Theifts had not a right and genuine idea of God.Neverthelefs, it does not therefore follow, that they mud needs be concludedabfolute Atheifts ; for there may be a latitude allowed in Theifm.And though in a ftrid and proper lenfe they be only Theifts, who acknowledgeone God perfeftly omnipotent, the fole original of all things, andas well the caufe of matter as of any thing elfe; yet it feems reaibnable,that fuch confideration fhould be had of the infirmity of human underftandings,as to extend the word further, that it may comprehend within it thofealfo, who afTcrt one intelleftual principle felf-cxiil:ent from eternity, th?framer and governor of the whole world, chough not the creator of thematter ; and that none fhould be condemned for abfohite Atheifts, merelybecaufe they hold eternal uncreated matter, unlels they alio deny an eternalD dunmadeI Vide Diogen. Laeit. Lib. II. fegm. 9. p. » Prxfat. Lilx I. Qiiaeft. iwtur. Tom. U.?v Oper. p.485.