Nor can we any more conceive them actually exercis'd where, than when that Being, whofe Attributes and Powers they are, does not it felf exift; which laft is by all Men allow'd to be grofly abfurd and impoffible. Nor does either the Sun, or any other Being, afford us any thing, like a Virtual, as diftinct from a Subftantial Prefence and Efficacy. The Sun indeed fends out Rays of Light, which Rays operate where the Sun is not: But then both of them operate only where themselves are. Nor is any other Notion confiftent with common Senfe, or the poffibilities of Things. For to say that a Being Acts where it is not, is to say in effect, that Nothing Acts in that place; or that the Effect produc'd, has in that Place no Cause to produce it; which are the groffeft Abfurdities and Contradictions poffible. But then, as to the Vaftness of the Extent of this Prefence of God, through this grand Syftem, including all the Systems of the Fixed Stars alfo, it is to us hitherto unlimited and undetermin'd; tho, in all probability, in it felf not really Infinite. However, fo far we are certainly upon Fact to fuppose the Divine Omniprefence to reach, and to be prefent, as we difcover the Effects of the fame, I mean fo far as the vifible Univerfe extends; which we know, on the lowest Computation, must be nearly that of a Cube of 1,400.

"

000,000,000 Miles Diameter,which contains near 3,000,000,000. 000, 000. 000,000,000,000.000,

000.000, i.e. three Sextilions, or three Millions of

Millions of Millions of Millions of Millions of Millions of Cubical Miles. An amazing Space

3

this,

Ha.lvii.is.

PLcxxxix. 8, 9, 10.

this, and as to any Power of Imagination,scarcely to be diftinguish'd from Infinite Space it felf! And fo far, to be fure, the Omniprefence of God extends it felf. Nor can even these Limits inclofe, or limit the Prefence of the Supreme Being; who as He is by Demonftration prefent every where within, and between all the Parts of the feveral immenfe Systems, fo, no queftion, is his Prefence extended as well beyond the Grand Syftem it felf, as we know it is beyond this Particular Syftem wherein we live. But fince the vaft Vifible Syftem of the Universe is that with which we are alone concern'd, and fuch as even wearies and amazes our Faculties, when we attempt fo much as to imagine its Immenfity, I fhall wade no farther into that unfathomable Abyss of Infinite Extramundane Space; the nicer Confideration of which, like that of Infinite Duration or Eternity, is evidently too large for our finite Thoughts; and does ever more Astonish and Confound, than Profit and Edify Mankind. And no wonder, fince 'tis highly probable that both of them, as to their inmoft Nature, and largest Extent, are alone knowable by that High and Lofty One, who, in the Prophet's Expreffion, Inhabits Eternity.

I conclude this Head in the appofite Words of the Pfalmift, of Feremiah, and of the Apoftolical Conftitutions,which fhew that Reafon and Revelation agree in this important Attribute of the Divine Omniprefence. If, fays the Pfalmift, I afcend into Heaven thou art there: If I make my Bed in Hades, behold thou art there. If I take the Wings of the Morning, and dwell in the uttermoft parts of the Sea; even there shall thy Hand lead me, and thy right Hand Shall hold

up

me

me. And, fays God by Jeremiah, Am I a God Jer. xxiii. at band, and not afar off? Can any hide him- 23, 24. Self in fecret places that I cannot fee him? faith the Lord. Do not I fill Heaven and Earth? faith the Lord. And fay the Conftitutions, Thou L. VII. 35. art He who art in Heaven; He who art on Earth; He who art in the Sea; He who art in finite Things, thy felf unconfin'd by any thing. For of thy Majefty there is no Boundary. For 'tis not ours, O Lord, but the Oracle of thy Servant who faid; And thou fhalt know in thine Deut. iv, Heart that the Lord thy God He is God, in 39. Heaven above, and on Earth beneath, there is none befides thee.

(13.) We learn farther from this System, that the Supreme God, the Maker and Governor of the Universe, is, in his own Nature and Substance, Immaterial. This is alfo a most direst Confequence from the true System of the World, whereby it has appear'd that God, the only Author of the Power of Gravity, does act, and is present to the inmoft Parts of all folid Bodies; nay that he is equally prefent, and equally acts in thofe inmolt Parts of all folid Bodies, as in any empty Spaces themselves, and withal that this Action upon all Bodies is not like to material and mechanical Impulse, which is ever on the Surface only; but penetrates those Bodies themselves, and every where causes a Gravitation, not according to the Surface, but according to the entire folid Content, or Quantity of the real Matter it felf, contain❜d in every one of those Bodies. This Property is highly remarkable, and of great Confequence againft those who are unwilling to allow any real Being but Matter in the Univerfe. Whereas it has for

merly

merly appear'd, that both the Senfitive Souls of Brutes, and the Rational Souls of Men, are Immaterial, and it does now most evidently appear, that the Supreme Being himself is alfo Immaterial; that is, it appears that the entire nobleft Parts of the Univerfe, all the Living, Active, Thinking, Enjoying Parts of it, for whofe Sake alone the reft of it could be made, together with the Almighty Maker himself, are really Immaterial. So little do the Wishes, and Defires, and Fancies, and Hypotheses of the Old and New Atheists, agree with the true Syftem of the Univerfe! And fo exactly do the wifeft Notions, and Inclinations, and Doctrines, and Affertions of the Patrons of God and Religion, in all Ages, appear to correspond to the fame! I heartily wifh, that fuch Perfons would well confider of this Obfervation; and no longer make use of thofe fmall Arguments, to take away the Being and Attributes of God; which ftill appear, when we come to real Fact, Experiment, and Demonftration, to be as little agreeable to Philofophy and Mathematicks, as they are in themselves Impious, and Blafphemous against their great Creator and Benefactor. Nature as well as Scripture teaching us, that John iv. God is a Spirit; and that by Confequence, they that worship Him muft worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

23, 24.

(14.) We learn moreover from this true Syftem of the World, that the Supreme God, the Maker and Governor of the Univerfe, is a Good and Beneficent Being, and one that takes Care of the Welfare and Happiness of his Creatures. This is a direct Confequence from finall Number of the Obfervations foregoing,

See Dr. Moore a

which fhew the great Care he has taken of the Situation and Motion, and Circumftances of the feveral Planets, at due Distances from the Sun, and from one another, that fo they might be the most commodious and comfortable Habitations for the Creatures that were to live upon them. And the fame might be more diftinctly and particularly obferv'd as to our Earth, and its Inhabitants, if this were a proper Place for it. But this has been fo frequently and fully done already, that I fhall rather chufe to infert what gainst A. has already been excellently faid by others in theiẩm in the Eighth Part; or to refer my Reader to them Mr. Ray's here, than to repeat thofe Obfervations in this Wisdom of God, &c. Place. Upon the whole, the Provifion that is Part II. C. made by the Divine Providence for Men, and all 1, 2. Creatures living, which alone are capable of the Dr. CheyGoodness and Beneficence of the Creator, both ne's PhiloSophical in their Entry into, and during their entire Con- Principles tinuance in this World, is fo ample, fo abun- of Natural dant, fo furprizing, that he who carefully con- Religion. fiders the Particulars in all Sorts and Species of Part L C 5. §. Animals with us, and efpecially in Man, the S. 24, Lord of them all, will be foon obliged not only to grant, that God is a Beneficent Being, but alfo, with the Pfalmift, to Admire and Adore, Pfl. 107.. and Praise the Lord for his Goodness, and for his wonderful Works to the Children of Men. And this Inference is the more juft, because the Infinite Perfection, and Self-fufficiency of the Divine Nature, does fo entirely privilege him from all Want, and from all expectation of Increafe of Happiness from any of his Creatures, that every one of the Inftances of his Beneficence, both in the Creation and Confervation, and Provifion for thofe Creatures, muft needs

c.

be