Page:The true intellectual system of the universe - the first part; wherein, all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted; and its impossibility demonstrated (IA trueintellectual1678cudw).pdf/30

 2 impute this Philosophy to Leucippus and Democritus; That they were the first Atheizers of it, or the Founders of that Philosophy which is Atheistically Atomical. 18. That the Atomists before Democritus were Asserters of a Deity and Substance Incorporeal. 19. A confutation of those Neotericks, who deny that Incorporeal Substance was ever asserted by any of the Ancients, and the Antiquity of that Doctrine proved from Plato, who himself professedly maintained it. 20. That Aristotle likewise asserted Incorporeal Substance. 21. That Epicurus endeavoured to confute this Opinion, as that which Plato and others of the Ancients had maintained. 22. That all those Philosophers who held the Immortality of the Soul and a Deity distinct from the World, held Incorporeal Substance, and that besides Thales, Pythagoras was a grand Champion for the same, who also asserted a Divine Triad. 23. Parmenides an Asserter of Incorporeal Substance, together with all those who maintained that all things did not flow, but something stand. 24. Empedocles vindicated from being either an Atheist or Corporealist at large. 25. Anaxagoras a plain Asserter of Incorporeal Substance. 26. Inferred that the Ancient Atomists before Democritus were both Theists and Incorporealists. 27. That there is not only no Inconsistency between Atomology and Theology, but also a Natural Cognation, proved from the Origine of the Atomical Physiology, and first a general account thereof. 28. A more particular account of the Origine of this Philosophy from that Principle of Reason, That in Nature, Nothing comes from Nothing, nor goes to Nothing. 29. That the same Principle which made the Ancients discard substantial Forms and Qualities, made them also to assert Incorporeal Substance. 30. That from the same Ground of Reason also they asserted the Immortality of Souls. 31. That the Doctrine of Preexistence and Transmigration of Souls had its original from hence also. 32. That the Ancients did not confine this to Humane Souls only, but extend it to all Souls and Lives whatsoever. 33. All this proved from Empedocles, who asserted the Preexistence as well as the Postexistence of all Souls upon that Ground. 34. A Censure of this Doctrine; that the Reason of it is irrefragable for the Post-eternity of all Humane Souls, and that the Hypothesis of the Creation of Humane Souls, which salves their Immortality without Preexistence, is Rational. 35. A new Hypothesis to salve the Incorporeity of the Souls of Brutes without their Postexistence and successive Transmigrations. 36. That this will not prejudice the Immortality of Humane Souls. 37. That the Empedoclean Hypothesis is more Rational than the Opinion of those that would make the Souls of Brutes Corporeal. 38. That the Constitution of the Atomical Physiology is such, that whosoever entertains it, and thoroughly understands it, must needs hold Incorporereal Substance, in five Particulars. 39. Two general Advantages of the Atomical or Mechanical Physiology; first that it renders the Corporeal World intelligible. 40. The second Advantage of it, that it prepares an easie and clear way for the Demonstration of Incorporeal Substance. 41. Concluded, That th• ancient Moschical Philosophy consisted of two Parts, Atomical Physiology, and Theology or Pneumatology. 42. That this entire Philosophy was afterwards mangled and dismembred, some taking one part of it alone, and some the other. 43. That