SECT. XV.
But verily, I am ashamed to waste so much time in refuting such mere Trifles and Dotages which indeed are such, (that I mean of the Nullibists, as well as this other of the Holenmerians) that we may very well wonder how such distorted and strained Conceits could ever enter into the Minds of Men, or by what artifice they have so spread themselves in the World; but that the Prejudices and Enchantments of Superstition, and stupid Admiration of Mens Persons are so strong, that they may utterly blind the Minds of Men, and charm them into Dotage. But if any one, all Prejudice and Parts-taking being laid aside, will attentively consider the thing as it is, he shall clearly perceive and acknowledge, unless all belief is to be denied to the humane Faculties, that the Opinions of the Nullibists and Holenmerians, touching Incorporeal Beings, are miserably false; and not that only, bnt as to any Philosophical purpose altogether useleß. Forasmuch as out of neither Hypothesis there does appear any greater facility of conceiving how the Mind of Man, or any other Spirit, performs those Functions of Perception and of Moving of Bodies, from their being supposed no where, than from their being supposed some where; or from supposing them wholly in every part of a Body, than from supposing them only, to occupy the whole Body by an Essential or Metaphysical extension; but on the contrary, that both the Hypotheses do entangle and involve the Doctrine of Incorporeal Beings with greater Difficulties and Repugnancies.
Wherefore there being neither Truth nor Usefulness in the Opinions of the Holenmerians und Nullibists, I hope it will offend no Man if we send them quite packing from our Philosophations touching an Incorporeal Being or Spirit, in our delivering the true Idea or Notion thereof.
SECT.
