Matter not eternal and uncaused. 393

°f no force, when asserted in opposition to thee fficiency of infinite power ; unless it could be&ewn that the creation of matter implies ac °ntradiction, which cannot be done. Fork°w can it be shewn that creation ey nihiloV infinite power is a contradiction, unless by^enying such power altogether? And sinceln finite power implies no contradiction, it^uss a t lead he pofiibk: and if it be possiblesi Muss be more, viz. necefi'ary , since it is asiting that cannot bz produced by any Being,Miich production we must suppose when wea thing is possible-, a thing possible to noing is impossible. And I have strewn else-where (fee sect. IV. Vol. I.) the absurdity ofctPposing that any power { finite or infinite)si°uld be only casual, or accidental in na-tu fi e (§.) As to the maxim itself; men indeedIrving that in the natural generation and, ru ption of bodies, there was not any pro-^ l ° n of new matter, nor defiruBion of old,^ only a change of the sensible qualities or

Qre 0r % in a Si ing according to moral motives where they^ Ut ' n fits-determination ly the power of the will,s cun ld ances are indifferent-, and that in the Deity

peL\s e ^ argument in the Note (?) where infiniteM,tn is ihewn necessary.

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