and Virtuofoes of the laft and present improving and inquifitive Age, and will endeavour to make all Things plain and eafy, as I go along, by familiar Inftances, and evidently demonftrative Figures and Schemes. CHAP. CHA P. III. Of AXIOMS relating to PHYSICS; of the RULES of PHILOSOPHIZING. A. A RE there not fome fundamental Principles, or Axioms, on which this Science depends? B. Yes, moft certainly; the chiefeft of which I fhall here lay down. A. Pray what do you make the first Axiom? B. Axiom I. Nothing hath no Proper ties. A. Pleafe to exemplify this Axiom. B. I will; but firft understand, that by Nothing, is meant a State of Non-Exi ftence, or Not-Being; and therefore to say Nothing is hot, is cold, hath Parts, is Great, or Small, &c. would be abfurd. 'A. What A. What is the fecond Axiom? B. Axiom II. Somewhat doth exift. A. That's fomewhat merry, Sir, I believe No-body will deny that to be an Axiom, indeed. B. You may think of it as you please ; but, I affure you, I have met with thofe who have had recourse to Logic, to prove their own Existence. B. Axiom III There is no Medium between Something and Nothing, Existence and Non-Existence. A. This is moft certainly true, and to fuppofe the contrary were abfurd; pray let me know your fourth Axiom sub02da ? B. Axiom IV: That which: doth exift, and is independent on any other created Being for its Existence, is properly the Effence or Subftance of the Thing existing, The Truth of his though Infinitely evident to thofe, who have been used to a phi lofophical Way of Thinking, will perhaps, appear more clear to you farther on. 1 A. Pray let me hear your next Axiom? B. Axiom V. No Subftance, or Effence, can be produced out of Nothing; or 'tis impoffible Nothing fhould be made Something. A. This Axioms and Rules of Philofophizing. 17 A. This indeed is very true; for if Nothing could he made Something, it would then have fome Property, which is contrary to your firft Axiom; and confequently abfurd. I pray, your fixth Axiom? B. Axiom VI. No Matter, Subftance, or Effence of any Thing, is capable of being reduced to mere Nothing, or annihilated. A. True likewife; for if Something could be converted into Nothing, then would Nothing have a Property, contrary to Axiom I. Alfo, as 'tis impoffible for a Thing to be, and not to be, in the fame Moment; therefore between the Time of its Being, and Not-being, there must be fome intermediate State of Exiftence, contrary to Axiom III. Pleafe to relate your next Axiom. B. Axiom VII. Every Effect hath fome Caufe. A. That I, and every Body elfe, must believe, elfe nothing in Nature would be wonderful. Pray deliver your next Axiom. B. Axiom VIII. If we our felves are not the Cause of any Effect, then that Effect muft depend on, and refult from, fome other Caufe. A. This is a plain Confequence of the foregoing your next Axiom if you please. B. Axiom IX. All Things, as far as in them is, continue in the fame State in which they began their Being. A. I believe I take you right, you mean what was at firft made Strait, Crooked, Square, Round, &c. would of themselves always perfevere in that State, and of their own Accord would never affume any other Figure. B. Very good; that is the full Meaning of the Axiom. A. Pray let me hear your next? B. Axiom X. Every Change is produced from fome external Cause. A. Moft certainly; for fuppofe I fee a Flower in full Bloom lie withered on the Ground, I prefently conclude fome external Caufe hath made that Change in the Flower; which else would have continued vivid and fresh. B. That's the Cafe; I have one Axion more to propofe, and that is, Axiom XI. That every Change made in any Body, is always proportionable to the Powers of the Caufe producing it. Thus the Motion of a Body is always in Proportion to the Greatnefs of the Power, or Stroke, that put it firft into Motion. A. And are there no other Maxims of this Science, that are neceffary to be dif courfed of before we go farther? B. No: |