Sect. 1. Of the first principles, and beginning of things.
HE held that the materiall principle of all things is one and ma∣ny (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) par••s in••inite, similar, and contrary, continuous to the touch,* 1.1 sustaining themselves,* 1.2 not contain'd by any other.* 1.3 His grounds these: First, because, according to the common rule of naturall Philosophers, of nothing proceeds nothing, it is not possible any thing can be made of that which is not; or that which hath a being can be resolved into that which hath none, Secondly, because contraries are made mutually of each other, therefore they were in each other before; for if it be necessary, that whatsoever is made, be made of that which is, or is not, but that it should be made of that which is not impossible, wherein all agree, that ever discoursed upon nature, it followes necessarily, that they be made of things that are, and are with∣in these very things, though by reason of their smallnesse, not discernable by us: Hence is it that they say, every thing is mixt with every thing; because they see any thing made of any thing: but things seem different, and are called diverse in re∣spect to one another, by reason that the multitude of infinites which are within aboundeth in the mistion; for the whole is neither quite white nor black, flesh nor bone, but every thing seemeth to be of the nature of that whereof it hath most* 1.4 of simple nourishment, as bread, water, and the like, are bred the hair, veines, arteries, nerves, bones, and other parts of the bo∣dy, all things are therefore in this food, as nerves, bones, and the like, discernable by reason, though not by sense: Of these Atomes the whole world consisteth,* 1.5 as gold of grains; these homogeneall parts are the matter of all things▪ his opinion is thus exprest by* 1.6 Lucretius.
Next Anaxagoras we must pursue, And his Homoiomeria review; A term that's no where mention'd but among The Greeks; too copious for our na••row tongue: Yet may the sense be in more words arraid; The principle of all things, entrailes made Of smallest entrails, bone of smallest bone, Blood of small sanguine drops reduc'd to one; Gold of small graines, earth of small sands compacted, Small drops to water, sparks to fire contracted; The like in every thing suppos'd, yet he