which depends the Order of Nature, and from whom all things that ARE have receiv'd their Beings throughout the univerfal Space, whether animate or inanimate, material or fpiritual.

Secondly, I fhall confider the Nature of Eternity and infinite Space.

Thirdly, I fhall enquire into the Nature of the Punishment of the Wicked, and give my Opinion of the Place of their Tor

ments.

Fourthly, I fhall enquire into the Nature of the Creation of our Globe the Earth, and make fome Remarks upon the Deluge: In all which I shall avoid the defcanting upon fuch things as I have found before obferv'd by other Authors, except where it is neceffary, or elfe to make fome further Improvements; and fhall make Divine Inferences from every Particular, as they fall in Course.

Fifthly, I fhall prove the Goodness of God: in his Dealings with his Creatures he has. given Reafon and Understanding to, particularly to us, having put it in our Power to be happy for ever in a future State, and having given us to that End all imaginable Encouragements and Advantages.

Sixthly, I fhall prove the Chriftian Oeconomy to be the only true one now in the World.

And, Lastly, I fhall recommend Religion and Virtue to every one's Choice. SECT.

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.

SECT. I.

Of a necessary, felf-existent, independent and eternal Being.

WH

HEN I form my Conceptions of an Eternity past, I find it much eafier to believe and conceive a neceffary, felfexiftent, independent, and eternal Being, than to imagine any Beings produced out of the Gulf of Eternity by blind Chance; which, if allow'd of, must be a neceffary Agent, which is a plain Contradiction in Terms; for that which is a neceffary Agent must have a Power to act; and Chance acts not, but is confequent upon Action; therefore if any thing be acted, it must be by the Power of an Actor; or, in other Words, if any thing be made, it must have a Maker: And therefore, had there not been an infinitely wife and powerful, felf-existent, independent and eternal Being, the whole univerfal Space must have continued in utter Darkness, without Matter or material Bodies interfpers'd; fuch as the glorious Sun, Fixed Stars, and their concomitant Planets, with their various and numerous Inhabitants. But to go no further than our felves: That we find our felves in Being is undeniable, but how we came into Being we know not, nor

had

had we any Hand in procuring it, but were produced in Time; we must therefore receive our Beings from a Being that is eternal; and our Existence not being in our felves, we must therefore exift in a Being that is felf-exiftent; and our Dependence not being upon our felves, we must therefore depend upon a Being that is independent: So that it is as abfurd to deny the Being of a God, as it would be to deny our own Beings; fince without a Creator, 'tis evident, there could have been no Creature. It is with very good Reafon therefore that the Pfalmift calls that Man a Fool, who has faid in bis Heart, There is no God.

SECT. II.

Of the Nature of Eternity and infinite Space.

OW what Conceptions I can form of this neceffary Being, and his eternal Existence, is, that his Eternity is to him as Time prefent, or just now, is to us; for Eternity admits of no Measure or Progref fion, as Time does; for Time is itself a Creature produced out of Eternity; so that let the Almighty begin his Creations at what Distance

B 3

Distance of Time foever, there had been an Eternity paft before that Beginning; and this Beginning of Time, had it not yet been begun, could not have lengthen'd the Eternity past before the Beginning: But with refpect to us, the Time paft fince the Beginning has Length and Duration, and so it must be to all created Beings. But now the fupreme infinite Being includes, in his Eternity, all things as prefent; as, for Inftance, when he fent Mofes to the Ifraelites, and Mofes requir'd his Name, Tell them, faith the Almighty, I AM hath fent thee; by which Word is fully comprehended his eternal Exiftence. Now that this was the Son of God, who was to be our Redeemer, that spoke to Mofes, may indeed be made a Dispute and Cavil by those who will not allow his Divinity; but our Bleffed Saviour's own Expreffion to the Jews, Before Abraham was, I AM, will eafily folve it, as having the very fame Word, and therefore the fame Weight and Force in it: For had our Saviour been a Being created in Time, (as fome have had the Boldness to affert) he would not have us'd that emphatical Expreffion, which can imply no less than eternal Existence, viz. Before Abraham was, I AM: On the contrary, he must have faid, Before Abraham was, I was; and as fuch an Expreffion would as naturally have fhewn him to have had a Creation as it did Abraham,

fo

fo the Expreffion I AM does as naturally fhew his eternal Existence.

Now when we confider the Works of the fupreme, infinite, and eternal Being, (who out of Eternity produced Time, and out of infinite Space produced Place) we may be convinced that they are of no Use to himfelf, but to his Creatures only: But whether the whole Creation of every thing was produc'd at once, or when this Globe in particular, which we inhabit, was created, is a Question, which, after all Researches, cannot be known in this State; tho' fome have believ'd on the negative. All thofe glorious Bodies of the fixed Stars are indeed, with very good Reason, believ'd to be fo many Suns, with Planets revolving about them, with various and numerous Inhabitants, rational and irrational; and fome have question'd whether the whole univerfal Space may not be throughly interfpers'd and furnish'd with like heavenly Bodies, because, notwithstanding their vaft Distances from us, befides what we can difcover by the naked Eye, there are every Day more and more difcover'd by good Glaffes. Now whether any or all of these were created before this Earth or Solar Syftem of ours, or all together with it, is in vain to seek to determine; fince 'twas all one to the Almighty Creator whether he began all this Work at once, or at different Times, for fo I may call it, be

B.4.

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