250 The soul necejsarily livings

II. Now that a substance having the powerof action, while joined to another dead sub-stance, as the foul hath while joined to thebody, by what is said, sect. 2. should onlyhave this power while joined to that deadsubstance, and be deprived of it when sepa-rated from that, includes this plain contra-diction, that a substance having (separately)no power to act, by being joined to anothersubstance, having also no power to act, (whichis true of the body universally) acquires apower of action, and exercises that power.Which is the same thing as to fay that thispower is an effect, and yet of nothing ; Jo?the uniting together of two powerlesssubstancescan never be the cause of this power. It willbe needless to reply, that two inactive sortsof matter, or liquors, by being united, ormixed, will act, stir, or ferment; since ithath been shewn above, (seB. 1. N° 14, 1 5 ’&c. and seSl. 2. N° 3, 4, 5, &c.) that in-stances of this kind are the effect of some'thing not matter, an immaterial power im'mediately impressed. The mutual action otthe particles on each other in all such in-stances, shews their inertness, or resistance to

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