324 soul a simple suhslance ,

natural bodies is not effected without theconcurrence of Almighty Power.

III. No being , though it hath power , cadhave such power as to annihilate itself: f otthen it ought to have power to effect that itshould have no power, which is contradictory >lince we are forced to suppose the thing stillremaining, which we suppose taken away*If a cause produceth an effect, it must havepower to finish that effect; otherwise it couldnot be the cause of it: and in this cafe if ithad power to finish the effect, the effect couldnot be finished, that power still remaining*It is therefore the same contradiction to sup-pose that a being should annihilate itself, aSthat it should create itself; namely, that itshould act when it is not. Yet we contract aprejudice, which makes us fancy that a Beingcould put an end to itself, as when a maltgives himself a deadly wound. But it is beg-ging the question to fay that a man annibil"ates himself in such a case; and it is frontsuch instances only that we contract this pf e 'judice. The strength of the man’s arm doth

that, which, with the subsequent efficiency °*

other causes, brings on the end of life; which

' — - , ° - -' - it

4