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I here fuppofe as a confefs'd Principle. And I may allo take the fame liberty to fuppose another thing, and that is, that all Science is concerning things that have a neceffary and immutable Nature, this being moft plain and obvious in it felf, and no lefs confels'd than the other. But then why fhould not the Conclufion be so too? For there needs but one ftep more to infer it, and that is full as plain and obvious as either of the former, viz. That things in their Natural State are neither neceffary nor Immutable, but Mutable and Contingent. And accordingly even in the Philofophy of the Schools Science is faid not to be of Singulars but of Univerfals, and abftracting from the Exiftence to confider only the Effences of things. Wherein as they imply that the Object of Science must be neceffary and immutable, fo being confcious that there is nothing of that Character to be found in the Nature of things, they are forced to have recourfe to I know not what Effences and Univerfals as the immutable Objects of Science. But why will they not speak out? For what are thefe Universals, and these Effences that Science is fo much beholden to? Are they only Abftractions or Inadequate Conceptions in the Mind? But then they will be altogether as Contingent and Mutable as the Mind it felf is wherein they are form'd. Or are they really in the things themselves that exift in Nature? But then again they will be as Contingent and Mutable as thofe things, and fo no more capable of being the Objects of Science

than

than the things themselves are. Here then is a confufe intimation of thofe very Ideal Reafons of things we are contending for. But why again then will they not fpeak out? What means this mincing and this disguifing of a plain and unavoidable Truth? But the thing audibly fpeaks it self, and immediately refolves into this fhort and clear iffue. Science is of necessary and immutable things. But things

in their Natural state are all mutable and contingent. Therefore things in their Natural state cannot be admitted as the Objects of Science. Therefore Science muft be of things as they are in their Ideal or Intelligible State. Therefore in fine there is fuch an Ideal state of things, or elfe there is no fuch thing as Science in the World, either in Act or Poffibility. The Ideal State of things is then as certain not only as Truth, but also as Science it felf, as being the only fix'd and immoveable ground upon which it can reft fecure.

And may I not farther conclude from hence that the Being of a God is as certain as either of them, fince as is obvious to conceive there could neither be Ideas, nor Eternal Effences, nor Eternal Truths, nor confequently Science, without the fuppofition of an Eternal Mind? I doubt not but that I might, and that the fame Arguments that prove against the Anti-Idealift, will conclude as ftrongly against the Atheist. Blessed God, How can we chufe but know thee, when even our very knowlege it felf by so short and fure a clue leads us to thee? For if there be Science there

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there must be Eternal Truths, and if Eternal Truths there must be Eternal Effences or Ideas, and if Ideas there must be a God. But I leave this hint to the private Reflection of my Reader, defiring him to renew the Confideration of it after he has gon through the course of this Syftem, which I hope he will then think not unworthy either of his own labour, or of mine, if he find a God at the end of it.

CHA P. III.

Where this Ideal State of things, or Intelligible World is, with a farther DemonAtration of its real Exiftence.

'HE running through fo many things,

T and fome of them of the niceft Con

fideration, and of a very intricate and intangled Nature, has been the occafion of fome prolixity, tho', I hope, not of much obfcurity, in the foregoing Chapter, but these greater Difficulties being Clear'd, I hope, for the Comfort of my Reader, as well as for my own Eafe, that our following Stages will be fhorter, our way fmoother, and our journy more pleasant.

2. We have now a remote Difcovery of that which has been the great Subject, and will more than reward the Pains of our inquiry. Tis true

we

we have been forc'd to climb a steep and cragged Hill for it, but are now at length come in view, upon the top of our Philofophic Pigah, whence the Contemplative Eye is faluted with the fair and beautiful profpect of a bright and glorious World, as with the Rays of a Rifing Sun, fhooting forth Beams of ftreaming Glory, and bringing light enough with it of its own from its Eastern Treasures to render its Beauty vifible, and to charm them that behold it. And now I may say 'tis Day all Abroad, a ferene and refulgent Day, now our Intellectual Sun is up, that hining Orb of Ideal Light, the great Luminary of Spirits, and bright Mirrour of Intelligences. Now our grofs Atmosphere begins to be clarified and refine into the temper of pure Ether, things clear up about and round us, and we are able to carry forth our View into the Regions of Truth, and can defcry the very Bafis and Foundation upon which it ftands,the * SUA and the ideaíwμa rys andrias, the Pillar and the ground of Truth, even thofe Eternal and Immoveable Pillars upon which Wifdom has Built her Magnificent and Stately Fabric. For the Eternal Effences or Ideas of things are they, upon these all neceffary and Eternal Truths are Founded, of whofe Conftant, Uniform and Immutable order, (otherwise unaccountable) we have now a fair and ready account in the Discovery and View of our World of Ideas or Intelligible World, all shining with the Light and Glory of Effen

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*I Speak only by way of Allufion to the Sacred Text. not

by way of Interpretation.

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tial and Subftantial Truth. The only World that is Eternal; that was in the Beginning and yet never began, that was never made, and can never perish, neither Subject to Time nor chance, nor alteration, where are those Effences of things that are neither Generated nor Corrupted, which had their orderly Syftem when the Earth was without Form and Void, and fhone forth in full Light and Luftre, when Darkness was yet over the Face of the Deep, and would still perfevere what they are tho' this Senfible All were reduced either to Chaos or Nothing, where there is Substance without Shadow, Act without Capacity, and Light without Darkness, even that pure incorruptible and univerfal Light which inlightens every Man that comes into this World, and which (as St. Auftin De genefi contra Manich. fays) does not feed the Eyes of Brute Creatures, but the pure Hearts of those who beleive God, and turn themselves from the Love of visible and temporal things to the keeping of his Commandments.

lib. I. chap. 3.

3. Such is the World we have discover'd, and there appears to be an abfolute neceffity for its Existence, even the very fame neceffity that is for Eternal Truths, or Sciences, which can maintain their Settlement and Immutability upon no other Ground; but in what Pofition or Situation it lies, or where the Seat of it is to be placed, does not yet fo well appear. For this then we muft confider farther, it faring with us in this Affair as with an Aftronomer when looking through a

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