Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1] Of the Immortality of the Soul, l. 1. c. 12.
[VIII.]
MADAM,
Your Author is pleased to say,[1] that Matter is a Principle purely passive, and no otherwise moved or modified, then as some other thing moves and modifies it, but cannot move it self at all; which is most demonstrable to them that contend for sense and perception in it: For if it had any such perception, it would, by vertue of its self-motion withdraw its self from under the knocks of hammers, or fury of the fire; or of its own accord approach to such things as are most agreeable to it, and pleasing, and that without the help of muscles, it being thus immediately endowed with a self-moving power. By his leave, Madam, I must tell you, that I see no consequence in this argument; Because some parts of matter cannot withdraw themselves from the force and power of other parts, therefore they have neither sense, reason, nor perception: For put the case, a man should be over-powr'd by some other men, truely he would be forced to suffer, and no Immaterial Spirits, I think, would assist him. The very same may be said of other Creatures or parts of Nature; for some may over-power others, as the fire, hammer and hand doth over-power a Horse-shooe, which cannot prevail over so much odds of power and strength; And so likewise it is with sickness and health, life and death; for example, some corporeal motions in the body turning Rebels, by moving contrary to the health of an animal Creature, it must become sick; for not every particular creature hath an absolute power, the power being in the Infinite whole, and not in single divided parts: Indeed, to speak properly, there is no such thing as an absolute power in Nature; for though Nature hath power to move it self, yet not beyond it self. But mistake me not, for I mean by an absolute Power; not a circumscribed and limited, but an unlimited power, no ways bound or confined, but absolutely or every way Infinite, and there is not anything that has such an absolute power but God alone: neither can Nature be undividable, being Corporeal or Material; nor rest from motion being naturally self-moving, and in a perpetual motion. Wherefore though Matter is self-moving, and very wise, (although your Author denies it, calling those Fools that maintain this opinion)[2] yet it cannot go beyond the rules of its Nature, no more then any Art can go beyond its Rules and Principles: And as for what your Author says, That every thing would approach to that, which is agreeable and pleasant; I think I need no demonstration to prove it; for we may plainly see it in all effects of Nature, that there is Sympathy and Antipathy, and what is this else, but approaching to things agreeable and pleasant, and withdrawing it self from things disagreeable, and hurtful or offensive? But of this subject I shall discourse more hereafter, wherefore I finish here, and rest,
Madam,
Your Faithful Friend