The Preface to the Reader
that the meaning of these Besotted Atheists, (if at least they had any meaning) seems to have been this, That all Cogitation is Really Nothing else but Local Motion; nevertheless all Motion, not Cogitation; but onely in such and such Circumstances, or in Bodies so Modified.
And now we are not Ignorant, That some will be ready to condemn this whole Labour of ours, and of others in this Kind, Against Atheism, as altogether Useless and Superfluous; upon this Pretence, that an Atheist is a meer Chimaera, and there is no such thing any-where to be found in the World. And indeed we could heartily wish, upon that condition, that all this Labour of ours, were Superfluous and Useless. But as to Atheists, These so confident Exploders of them, are both Unskilled in the Monuments of Antiquity, and Unacquainted with the Present Age, they live in; others having found too great an Assurance, from their own Personal Converse, of the Reality of Them. Nevertheless this Labour of ours, is not Intended onely for the Conversion of Downright and Professed Atheists, (of which there is but Little Hope, they being sunk into so great a degree of Sottishness;) but for the Confirmation of Weak, Staggering, and Scepticall Theists. And unless these Exploders of Atheists, will affirm also, that all men have constantly, an Unshaken Faith, and Belief of the Existence of a God, without the least mixture of Doubtfull Distrust, or Hesitancy, (which if it were so, the world could not possibly be so bad as now it is) they must needs Grant, such Endeavours as these, for the Confirming and Establishing of mens Minds in the Belief of a God, by Philosophick Reasons, in an Age so Philosophicall, not to be Superfluous and Useless.
Imprimatur
Hic Liber, cui Titulus, The True Intellectuall
System of the Universe, &c.
Maii 29, 1671.
Sam. Parker, Reverendmo in
Christo Patri ac Domino,
Domino Gilberto, Divinâ Providentiâ
Archiep. Cantuar. à
Sacr. Dom.
Place the Contents at the latter end of the Book.
