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/45

 Rh that salved the Material Phaenomena by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the smallest Indivisibles of Body. And Lastly, Metrodorus (not Lamsacenus the Epicurean, but) Chius, who is reported also to have made Indivisible Particles and Atoms the first Principles of Bodies. But what need we any more proof for this, that the Atomical Physiology was ancienter than Democritus and Leucippus, and not confined only to that Sect, since Aristotle himself in the Passages already cited doth expressly declare, that besides D•mocritus, the Generality of all the other Physiologers went that way; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Democritus and the most of the Physiologers make all Sense to be Touch, and resolve sensible Qualities, as the Tastes of Bitter and Sweet, &c. into Figures. And again he imputes it generally to all the Physiologers that went before him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The former Physiologers (without any exception) said not well in this, that there was no Black and White without the Sight, nor Bitter and Sweet without the Taste. Wherefore, I think, it cannot be reasonably doubted, but that the Generality of the Old Physiologers before Aristotle and Democritus, did pursue the Atomical way, which is to resolve the Corporeal Phaenomena, not into Forms, Qualities and Species, but into Figures, Motions and Phancies.

XVII. But then there will seem to be no small difficulty in reconciling Aristotle with himself, who doth in so many places plainly impute this Philosophy to Democritus and Leucippus, as the first Source and Original of it: As also in salving the Credit of Laertius, and many other ancient Writers, who do the like: Democritus having had for many Ages almost the general cry and vogue for Atoms. However, we doubt not but to give a very good account of this Business, and reconcile the seemingly different Testimonies of these Ancient Writers, so as to take away all Contradiction and Repugnancy between them. For although the Atomical Physiology was in use long before Democritus and Leucippus, so that they did not Make it but Find it; yet these two with their confederate Atheists (whereof Protagoras seems to have been one) were undoubtedly the first that ever made this Physiology to be a complete and entire Philosophy by it self, so as to derive the Original of all things in the whole Universe from sensless Atoms, that had nothing but Figure and Motion, together with Vacuum, and made up such a System of it, as from whence it would follow, that there could not be any God, not so much as a Corporeal one. These two things were both of them before singly and apart. For there is no doubt to be made, but that there hath been Atheism lurking in the minds of some or other in all Ages; and perhaps some of those Ancient Atheists did endeavour to Philosophize too, as well as they could, in some other way. And there was Atomical Physiology likewise before, without Atheism. But these two thus complicated together, were never before Atomical-Atheism or Atheistical Atomism. And therefore Democritus and his Comrade Leucippus need not be envied the glory of being reputed the first Inventors or Founders of the Atomical Philosophy Atheized and Adulterated. Rh