The System of Nature, Volume 1 by baron d' Paul Henri Thiry Holbach
page 38 of 378 (10%)
page 38 of 378 (10%)
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to confess, that that which has no relation with our senses, that which
cannot manifest itself to us by some of the ordinary modes by which other things are manifested, has no existence for us--is not comprehensible by us--can never entirely remove our doubt--can never seize on our stedfast belief; seeing it is that of which we cannot form even a notion; in short, that it is that, which as long as we remain what we are, must be hidden from us by a veil, which no power, no faculty, no energy we possess, is able to remove. All who are not enslaved by prejudice agree to the truth of the position, that _nothing can be made of nothing_. Many theologians have acknowledged Nature to be an active whole. Almost all the ancient philosophers were agreed to regard the world as eternal. OCELLUS LUCANUS, speaking of the universe, says, "_it has always been, and it always will be_." VATABLE and GROTIUS assure us, that to render the Hebrew phrase in the first chapter of GENESIS correctly, we must say, "_when God made heaven and earth, matter was without form._" If this be true, and every Hebraist can judge for himself, then the word which has been rendered _created_, means only to fashion, form, arrange. We know that the Greek words _create_ and _form_, have always indicated the same thing. According to ST. JEROME, _creare_ has the same meaning as _condere_, to found, to build. The Bible does not anywhere say in a clear manner, that the world was made of nothing. TERTULLIAN and the father PETAU both admit, that "_this is a truth established more by reason than by authority._" ST. JUSTIN seems to have contemplated matter as eternal, since he commends PLATO for having said, that "_God, in the creation of the world, only gave impulse to matter, and fashioned it._" BURNET and PYTHAGORAS were entirely of this opinion, and even our Church Service may be adduced in support; for although it admits by implication a beginning, it expressly denies an end: "_As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end._" It is easy to perceive that that which cannot cease to |
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