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whole Univerfe. I do not here take the Word Spiritual meerly for Incorporeal or Immaterial; which Property I have already difcourfed upon; but as importing alfo that Vigor, and thofe Actions which brute Matter is uncapable of, and which are the proper Effects of Life, and on which Account the Sacred Writings fo often call GOD the Living God, in opposition to those Dead or Inanimate Heathen Idols, which were not able to do any Thing either for Mercy or Judgment. Now that the Supreme God, the Author of all Things, must be thus a Spiritual Living and Active Being, continually Obferving, and Knowing, and Ordering, and Providing, and Acting in the World, is not only highly probable because he is the Creatot of all; and therefore will not certainly forget, or overlook, or neglect the Works of bis own Hands; but is di- pfal. rectly proved from many of the foregoing Pro- cxxxviii. pofitions, which have given us abundant Inftan- S. ces of fuch his Life and Activity. And no wonder that the Supreme Spiritual Being is thus Living and Active, fince, as Material Substance or Body is in its own Nature, according to all the Experience we ever have of it, Dead, Inert, and wholly Unactive; fo does it feem that Spiritual Substance, or Soul, is in its own Nature in general, Living, Active, and Vigorous; and that the different Degrees of fuch Life, Activity, and Vigor, do conftitute or proceed from the feveral Kinds of Spiritual Beings, from the meaneft fenfitive Soul of a Brute, up to the Supreme Spirit of the Universe himself. I do not mean with De Cartes, that a Soul or Spiritual Being does for ever actually think, or is always by neceffity of Nature, in Action; no K

more

more than I believe that a Body is ever really, and by neceffity of Nature in Motion; but that it is always Quick and Active and Ready, upon all Occafions and Objects that prefent themfelves, to think, and confider, and refolve, and exert it felf; and that this Faculty is one of its main Distinctions from Body or Matter, which is entirely deftitute of all fuch Faculties whatsoever. And certainly, He that produc'd all the Living, and Active Powers and Abilities which are in the Creatures, muft himself poffefs them in the highest and most exalted manner poffible; which Life and Activity, if He, the Supreme Being, were wholly bereaved of, he would be fo far from the Object of our Worfhip, Fear, Love, and Adoration, as all Men naturally look upon him to be, that he would be certainly the Subject only of Neglect and Contempt. Wherefore Philofophy, as well as Religion, affure us of the Truth of what Darius an Heathen King was once obliged to acknowledge, that Men ought to tremble and fear before Dan. vi. God; for He is the Living God, and ftedfaft for 26, 27. ever; and his Kingdom that which shall not be deftroyed. And He worketh Signs and Wonders in Heaven and in Earth.

(17.) We farther learn from the true System of the Universe, That the Supreme God, the Maker and Governor of all Things, is but One. This Unity of God, or that there is but One. Infinite, Eternal, Omnipotent Being or Agent, who created and governs all Things, is among the first Dictates of Nature and right Reason, when it reflects upon the obvious Phænomena of the World, and is moft clearly confirm'd by all the foregoing Obfervations. The Universe

appears

appears thereby to be evidently One Universe 3 govern'd by One Law of Gravity through the whole; and obferving the fame Laws of Motion every where. The Conduct of the whole. is every where One and the fame; and not the leaft Signs or Traces do appear of any Op pofite, or Coordinate Power interpoling it felf in any of its regular Phænomena. So that this Unity of God, is now for ever eftablifhed by that more certain Knowledge we have of the Univerfe; as it was naturally alfo, tho' in a leffer Degree, discoverable by all Mankind before. So true and juft are the Words of the Apostles in their Conftitutions, concerning L. VI. C. the Occafion of God's impofing on the Jews the rigid Ceremonies of the Law of Mofes, after their Idolatry about the Golden Calf: I impofe thefe Things on thee, that be"ing prefs'd and gall'd by thy Collar thou mayeft "depart from the Error of Polytheifi, and

20.

xxxii. 4.

laying afide that, Thefe are thy Gods O Ifrael, Exod. mayeft be mindful of that, Hear O Ifrael, the Deut. "Lord our God is One Lord; and mayeft run 4. back again to that Law, which is inferted by me in the Nature of all Men, That there is only One God in Heaven, and on Earth. (18.) Laftly, we learn from this true System. of the World, that we and all Creatures are entirely under the Dominion, and fubject to the fupreme Authority of this One God, as to our Lord and Governor. This is the most natural and obvious Confequence, from what has been hitherto proved, concerning the Exiftence, the At tributes, and the Providence of the One Supreme God; that this World, wherein we all live, is God's World; that this Syftem of the Univerfes

K 2

Pfal. xcv. 3---7%

Universe, is God's great Houfe, or Family, or
Kingdom; and that the Rational Beings are
God's Creatures, the Members of that his Fa-
mily, and Subjects of that his Kingdom; ow-
ing all poffible Obedience, Duty, and Homage
to him, as to their great Mafter and King. This
abfolute Supremacy of the One God, and Obli-
gation of all Derived and Created Beings to en-
tire Submiffion to him,is fo plain from thefe Confi-
derations, that as He must be the most egregions
Fool, in point of Prudence, that will dare to op-
pofe himself to the Omnipotence of his Al-
mighty Lord and King; fo is he the most pro-
fligate Wretch in point of Duty, that will ven-
ture to refufe his Submiffion to the Infinite Wif-
dom and Goodnefs of his most beneficent Cre-
ator, Father and Benefactor, In whom he lives, -
moves, and has his Being; and whofe Offspring
he is. Nor will Philofophy it felf in the leaft
fcruple the juftnefs of that Exhortation made ufe
of by the Pfalmift upon this Occafion; Because
the Lord is a great God, and a great King above
all Gods; because in his Hand are the deep Pla-
ces of the Earth, and the Strength of the Hills
is bis alfo; because the Sea is His, and He made
it, and bis Hands formed the Dry Land; O
come therefore, let us Worship and Bow down, let
is Kneel before the Lord our Maker: For he is
our God, and we are the People of his Pafture,
and the Sheep of his Hand.

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PART VII.

Important Principles of Divine Revelation, confirm'd from the foregoing Principles, and Conjectures.

INCE it has now pleafed God, as we have feen, to difcover many noble and important Truths to us, by the Light of Nature, and the Syftem of the World; as alfo, he has long difcovered many more noble and important Truths by Revelation, in the Sacred Books; It cannot be now improper, to compare these two Divine Volumes, as I may well call them, together; in fuch Cafes, I mean, of Revelation, as relate to the Natural World, and wherein we may be affifted the better to judge, by the Knowledge of the Syftem of the Universe about

us.

For if thofe Things contained in Scripture be true, and really deriv'd from the Author of Nature, we fhall find them, in proper Cafes, confirm'd by the Syftem of the World; and the Frame of Nature will, in fome Degree, bear Witness to the Revelation. But if thofe

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