Cosmologia Generalis

by which it is suppressed. We have clearly taught how the act of contingent things in the world is determined, and how they depend upon a certain being distinct from the world, which will be demonstrated to be God in Natural Theology: a matter which is of no little utility for philosophizing correctly about natural things. For when we are about to philosophize concerning any finite things whatsoever, we inquire into their intrinsic possibility, which flows from their essences, and into the mode by which actuality is determined. Cosmology, therefore, provides the directive notions for philosophizing correctly about natural things. We establish the notion of a body in general so that it may appear what must be assumed concerning it in order to demonstrate other matters from it: a task which was most necessary, because Physics labors under many defects on account of the nature of a body in general not being sufficiently evolved. But in particular, we separate the genuine elements of corporeal things from the spurious ones: a task which not only wards off the offspring of the imagination from Physics and reveals the true nature of the universe—which is generally not noticed—but also contributes to demonstrating the most arduous truths in Natural Theology, among which it suffices now to have alleged only the creation of the world from nothing. I have handed down nothing concerning these matters except what relies upon firm reasons, and I have taught quite openly the origin both of matter and of motive force from the elements,