[XI.]
MADAM,
To your Authors argument,[1] That if Motion belong naturally to Matter, Matter being Uniform, it must be alike moved in every part or particle imaginable of it, by reason this Motion being natural and essential to Matter, is alike every way. I answer, That this is no more necessary, then that the several actions of one body, or of one part of a body should be alike; for though Matter is one and the same in its Nature, and never changes, yet the motions are various, which motions are the several actions of one and the same Natural Matter; and this is the cause of so many several Creatures; for self-moving matter by its self-moving power can act several ways, modes or manners; and had not natural matter a self-acting power, there could not be any variety in Nature; for Nature knows of no rest, there being no such thing as rest in Nature; but she is in a perpetual motion, I mean self-motion, given her from God: Neither do I think it Atheistical (as your Author deems) to maintain this opinion of self-motion, as long as I do not deny the Omnipotency of God; but I should rather think it Irreligious to make so many several Creatures as Immaterial Spirits, like so many severall Deities, to rule and govern Nature and all material substances in Nature; for what Atheism doth there lie in saying, that natural matter is naturally moving, and wise in her self? Doth this oppose the omnipotency and Infinite wisdom of God? It rather proves and confirms it; for all Natures free power of moving and wisdom is a gift of God, and proceeds from him; but I must confess, it destroys the power of Immaterial substances, for Nature will not be ruled nor governed by them, and to be against Natural Immaterial substances, I think, is no Atheisme, except we make them Deities; neither is Atheisme to contradict the opinion of those, that believe such natural incorporeal Spirits, unless man make himself a God. But although Nature is wise, as I said before, and acts methodically, yet the variety of motions is the cause of so many Irregularities in Nature, as also the cause of Irregular opinions; for all opinions are made by self-moving matters motions, or (which is all one) by corporeal self-motion, and some in their opinions do conceive Nature according to the measure of themselves, as that Nature can, nor could not do more, then they think, nay, some believe they can do as much as Nature doth; which opinions, whether they be probable or regular, I'le let any man judg; adding onely this, that to humane sense and reason it appears plainly, that as God has given Nature a power to act freely, so he doth approve of her actions, being wise and methodical in all her several Productions, Generations, Transformations and Designs: And so I conclude for the present, onely subscribe my self, as really I am,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend,
and Servant.
[1] Antid. l. 2. c. 1.