The Preface
That the Qualities and Forms of Inanimate Bodies, are no Entities Really distinct from the Magnitude, Figure, Site and Motion of Parts; and, That Souls are Substances Incorporeal, not Generated out of Matter. Where we have shewed, That the Pythagorick Doctrine, of the Præ-Existence of Souls, was founded upon the very same Principle, with the Atomick Physiology. And it is from this very Principle rightly understood, that Ourselves afterwards, undertake to Demonstrate, The Absolute Impossibility of all Atheism. Moreover, we have made it undeniably Evident, That the Intrinsick Constitution of this Atomick Physiology also is such, as that whosoever admits it, and rightly understands it, must needs acknowledge Incorporeal Substance; which is the Absolute Overthrow of Atheism. And from hence alone, is it certain to us, without any Testimonies from Antiquity, that Democritus and Leucippus, could not possibly be the First Inventors of this Philosophy, they either not rightly Understanding it, or else wilfully Depraving the same: and the Atomick Atheism, being Really nothing else, but a Rape committed upon the Atomick Physiology. For which Reason, we do by no means here Applaud Plato, nor Aristotle, in their Rejecting this most Ancient Atomick Physiology, and Introducing again, that Unintelligible First Matter, and those Exploded Qualities and Forms, into Philosophy. For though this were probably done by Plato, out of a Disgust and Prejudice against the Atomick Atheists, which made him not so well Consider nor Understand that Physiology; yet was he much disappointed of his Expectation herein; That Atomology which he Exploded, (rightly understood), being really the Greatest Bulwark against Atheism; and on the contrary, Those Forms and Qualities which he Espoused, the Natural Seed thereof; they, besides their Unintelligible Darkness, bringing Something out of Nothing, in the Impossible Sense; which we shew to be, the Inlet of all Atheism. And thus in this First Chapter, have we not onely quite Disarmed Atheism of Atomicism, or shewed that the Latter, (rightly understood,) affordeth no manner of Shelter or Protection to the Former; But also made it manifest, that it is the greatest Bulwark and Defence against the same. Which is a thing afterwards further insisted on.
As to the Second Chapter, we have no more to say, but onely this; That here we took the Liberty, to Reveal the Arcane Mysteries of Atheism, and to Discover all its Pretended Grounds of Reason, that we could find anywhere suggested in Writings; those onely excepted, that are peculiar to the Hylozoick Form, (which is directly contrary to the Atomick;) and that to their best advantage too: nevertheless to this end, that these being afterwards, all Baffled and Confuted, Theism might by this means, Obtain the Greater and Juster Triumph over Atheism.
