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.
[VII.]
MADAM,
Your Author being very earnest in arguing against those that maintain the opinion of Matter being self-moving, amongst the rest of his arguments brings in this:[1] Suppose, says he, Matter could move it self, would meer Matter with self-motion amount to that admirable wise contrivance of things which we see in the World?—All the evasion I can imagine, our adversaries may use here, will be this: That Matter is capable of sense, and the finest and most subtil of the most refined sense; and consequently of Imagination too, yea happily of Reason and Understanding. I answer, it is very probable, that not onely all the Matter in the World or Universe hath Sense, but also Reason; and that the sensitive part of matter is the builder, and the rational the designer; whereof I have spoken of before, and you may find more of it in my Book of Philosophy. But, says your Author, Let us see, if all their heads laid together can contrive the anatomical Fabrick of any Creature that liveth? I answer, all parts of Nature are not bound to have heads or tayls; but if they have, surely they are wiser then many a man's. I demand, says he, Has every one of these Particles, that must have a hand in the framing of the body of an animal, the whole design of the work by the Impress of some Phantasme upon it? or as they have several offices, so have they several parts of the design? I answer, All the actions of self-moving Matter are not Impresses, nor is every part a hand-labourer, but every part unites by degrees into such or such a Figure. Again, says he, How is it conceiveable that any one Particle of Matter, or many together, (there not existing, yet in Nature an animal) can have the Idea Impressed of that Creature they are to frame? I answer, all figures whatsoever have been, are, or can be in Nature, are existent in nature. How, says he, can they in framing several parts confer notes? by what language or speech can they communicate their Counsels one to another? I answer, Knowledg doth not always require speech, for speech is an effect and not a cause, but knowledg is a cause and not an effect; and nature hath infinite more ways to express knowledg then man can imagine, Wherefore, he concludes, that they should mutually serve one another in such a design, is more impossible, then that so many men, blind and dumb from their nativity, should joyn their forces and wits together to build a Castle, or carve a statue of such a Creature, as none of them knew any more in several, then some one of the smallest parts thereof, but not the relation it bore to the whole. I answer, Nature is neither blind nor dumb, nor any ways defective, but infinitely wise and knowing; for blindness and dumbness are but effects of some of her particular actions, but there is no defect in self-moving matter, nor in her actions in general; and it is absurd to conceive the Generality of wisdom according to an Irregular effect or defect of a particular Creature; for the General actions of Nature are both life and knowledg, which are the architects of all Creatures, and know better how to frame all kinds and sorts of Creatures then man can conceive; and the several parts of Matter have a more easie way of communication, then Mans head hath with his hand, or his hand with pen, ink, and paper, when he is going to write; which later example will make you understand my opinion the better, if you do but compare the rational part of Matter to the head, the sensitive to the hand, the inanimate to pen, ink and paper, their action to writing, and their framed figures to those figures or letters which are written; in all which is a mutual agreement without noise or trouble. But give me leave, Madam, to tell you, That self-moving Matter may sometimes erre and move irregularly, and in some parts not move so strong, curious, or subtil at sometimes, as in other parts, for Nature delights in variety; Nevertheless she is more wise then any Particular Creature or part can conceive, which is the cause that Man thinks Nature's wise, subtil and lively actions, are as his own gross actions, conceiving them to be constrained and turbulent, not free and easie, as well as wise and knowing; Whereas Nature's Creating, Generating and Producing actions are by an easie connexion of parts to parts, without Counterbuffs, Joggs and Jolts, producing a particular figure by degrees, and in order and method, as humane sense and reason may well perceive: And why may not the sensitive and rational part of Matter know better how to make a Bee, then a Bee doth how to make Honey and Wax? or have a better communication betwixt them, then Bees that fly several ways, meeting and joyning to make their Combes in their Hives? But pardon, Madam, for I think it a Crime to compare the Creating, Generating and producing Corporeal Life and Wisdom of Nature unto any particular Creature, although every particular Creature hath their share, being a part of Nature. Wherefore those, in my opinion, do grossly err, that bind up the sensitive matter onely to taste, touch, hearing, seeing, and smelling; as if the sensitive parts of Nature had not more variety of actions, then to make five senses; for we may well observe, in every Creature there is difference of sense and reason according to the several modes of self-motion; For the Sun, Stars, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Plants, Animals, Minerals; although they have all sense and knowledg, yet they have not all sense and knowledg alike, because sense and knowledg moves not alike in every kind or sort of Creatures, nay many times very different in one and the same Creature; but yet this doth not cause a general Ignorance, as to be altogether Insensible or Irrational, neither do the erroneous and irregular actions of sense and reason prove an annihilation of sense and reason; as for example, a man may become Mad or a Fool through the irregular motions of sense and reason, and yet have still the Perception of sense and reason, onely the alteration is caused through the alteration of the sensitive and rational corporeal motions or actions, from regular to irregular; nevertheless he has Perceptions, Thoughts, Ideas, Passions, and whatsoever is made by sensitive and rational Matter, neither can Perception be divided from Motion, nor Motion from Matter; for all sensation is Corporeal, and so is Perception. I can add no more, but take my leave, and rest,