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A CONDEMNING TREATISE OF ATOMES.
I Cannot think that the substance of infinite mat∣ter is onely a body of dust, such as small atoms, and that there is no solidity, but what they make, nor no degrees, but what they compose, nor no change and variety, but as they move, as onely by fleeing about as dust and ashes, that are blown about with winde, which me thinks should make such uncer∣tainties, such disproportioned figures, and confused creations, as there would be an infinite and eternal disorder. But surely such wandring and confused figures could never produce such infinite effects; such rare compositions, such various figures, such several kindes, such constant continuance of each kinde, such exact rules, such undissol∣vable Laws, such fixt decrees, such order, such method, such life, such sense, such faculties, such reason, such knowledge, such power, which makes me condemn the general opinions of atoms, though not my particular opinions of the figures, that the long atoms make air, the round water, the flat square earth; also that all the other fi∣gures are partly severed from those; also the measure, and the weight of atoms, of slime, flame, of burning, of quenching of fire, and of the several motions, compositions, and composers in their creating and dissolving of figures; also their wars and peace, their sympathies and antipathies, and many the like; but this opinion of mine is, if the infinite, and eternal matter are atoms, but I have considered that if the onely matter were atoms, and that every atome is of the same degree, and the same quantity, as well as of the same matter; then every atom must be of a living substance, that is innate mat∣ter, for else they could not move, but would be an infinite dull and immoving body, for figures cannot make motion, unlesse motion be in the matter, and it cannot be a motion that sets them at work without substance, for motion cannot be without substance or produced therefrom, and if motion proceeds from substance, that sub∣stance is moving innately, but if motion is nothing, then every several nothings, which are called several motions, are gods to infi∣nite matter, and our stronger nothing, which is every stronger motion, is god to every weaker nothing, which is every weaker motion; for if motion depend upon nothing, every particular motion is absolute; but the old opinions of atoms seems not so clear to my reason, as my own, and absolutly new opinions, which I hear call my Philosophical opinions, which opinions seem to me to be most probable, and these opi∣nions are like Chymistrie, that from a grosse substance, extract the substance and essence, and spirits of life, or knowledge which I call the innated matter.