motions of blind matter, or into thought depending on unguided motions of blind matter, is the same thing:  not to mention the narrowness of such thoughts and knowledge that must depend on the motion of such parts.  But there needs no enumeration of any more absurdities and impossibilities in this hypothesis (however full of them it be) than that before mentioned; since, let this thinking system be all or a part of the matter of the universe, it is impossible that any one particle should either know its own, or the motion of any other particle, or the whole know the motion of every particle; and so regulate its own thoughts or motions, or indeed have any thought resulting from such motion.

18.  Matter not co-eternal with an Eternal Mind.

Secondly, Others would have Matter to be eternal, notwithstanding that they allow an eternal, cogitative, immaterial Being.  This, though it take not away the being of a God, yet, since it denies one and the first great piece of his workmanship, the creation, let us consider it a little.  Matter must be allowed eternal:  Why? because you cannot conceive how it can be made out of nothing:  why do you not also think yourself eternal?  You will answer, perhaps, Because, about twenty or forty years since, you began to be.  But if I ask you, what that you is, which began then to be, you can scarce tell me.  The matter whereof you are made began not then to be:  for if it did, then it is not eternal:  but it began to be put together in such a fashion and frame as makes up your body; but yet that frame of particles is not you, it makes not that thinking thing you are; (for I have now to do with one who allows an eternal, immaterial, thinking Being, but would have unthinking Matter eternal too;) therefore, when did that thinking thing begin to be?  If it did never begin to be, then have you always been a thinking thing from eternity; the absurdity whereof I need not confute, till I meet with one who is so void of understanding as to own it.  If, therefore, you can allow a thinking thing to be made out of nothing, (as all things that are not eternal must be,) why also can you not allow it possible for a material being to be made out of nothing by an equal power, but that you have the experience of the one in view, and not of the other?  Though, when well considered, creation [of a spirit will be found to require no less power than the creation of matter.  Nay, possibly, if we would emancipate ourselves from vulgar notions, and raise our thoughts, as far as they would reach, to a closer contemplation of things, we might be able to aim at some dim and seeming conception how matter might at first be made, and begin to exist, by the power of that eternal first Being:  but to give beginning and being to a spirit would be found a more inconceivable effect of omnipotent power.  But this being what would perhaps lead us too far from the notions on which the philosophy now in the