SECT. II. That there are Eternal Truths, and how they refult from the Divine Ideas. I. DE Emonftration ordinarily proceeds concerning certain particular Truths, and undertakes to fhew the Neceffity, and confequently the Eternity of them, that this or that Propofition in particular is Neceffarily and Eternally true, but that there are neceffary and eternal Truths in general feems rather to be the Ground and Suppofition, than the Subject of Demonftration, fince if there were no fuch Truths, nothing could be demonstrated, and fo nothing could be known. For, for a thing to be demonftrated is in the Refolution of it the fame as to be fhewn to be Neceffarily fo or fo, or Neceffarily true, and therefore there must be fuch a thing in the General as Neceffary Truth, or else there could be no Demonftration of any one particular Truth in any Science whatfoever. Nor indeed could there be any fuch thing as Science it felf. Which by the way is a moft convincing Proof of the real Exiftence of fuch Truths to as many as allow either the one or the other. And accordingly thofe that own Science are fo confiftent with their Principle, as to acknowledge necessary and eternal Truths, as was noted before. But then a thing fo univerfally acknowledged (as I may well call that which is acknowledged by as many as admit Science) feems not to need any Proof. And that which is the very Ground and Suppofi Suppofition of Demonstration in all Arts and Sciences feems yet to need it lefs. And indeed I fhould have left it for thefe Reasons as much a Suppofition as I found it, without attempting any Proof of it (especially confidering what I have of fered in this way already) were it not that it belongs to the regular and formal perfuance of our Theory, and is the direct Confequence, of fome Principles laid down in it, and fo may ferve to the farther Confirmation of those Principles, as leading to fo great and happy a Conclusion; but chiefly because the manner of my proving thefe Eternal Truths will contribute to the letting in a confiderable Light upon the Nature of them. Now 2. From the Suppofition of Eternal Truths or Relations of things we have already infer'd the Eternal Effences or Ideal Reasons of them. as before we argued from the Relations to the Simple Effences or Ideas, fo now (especially after having given otherwife fuch an abundant Demonftration of the latter) we may no less strongly, only more directly argue from the Ideas to the Habitudes or Relations. For as thefe Relations cannot exist without thofe Simple Effences to support them whofe Relations they are, fo neither can the Simple Effences exift without being follow'd or accompany'd with fuch their Effential Relations, as neceffarily arifing from them by way of Natural Refultancy, in like manner as it is in other Relations, which immediately refult upon the Position of the Subject and the Term. So then if there are Eternal Effences or Ideal Reasons of things, there muft and will be, and ipfo facto are Eternal Habitudes and Relations, that is, Eternal Truths. Truths. 'Tis impoffible to separate the one from the other, fo that the Argument proceeds with the greatest Strictness and Evidence from one to the other. As for Inftance, if the Effence or Reason of a Circle be Eternal (and as St. Austin says, What is there fo Eternal as the Reason: of a Circle, with things of that Na- Lib. de Immortal. ture, which we can neither comprehend Anima. Cap. 4. that ever it was not, nor that ever it shall not be ) then that one Intelligible Diameter of this Intelligible Circle fhould be equal to another, will be a Ha bitude or Relation that will neceffarily refult from it, and for ever accompany it. And as from a Circle's having its Diameters eternally equal we may conclude, as before, that the Effence or Rea fon of a Circle does eternally exift; fo again, fuppofing fuch an Intelligible Circle to exift eternally, we may and cannot but conclude, that its Dia meters are eternally Equal. And fo in all other Inftances, the Intelligible Effence or Ideal Reafon infers the Habitude as truly as the Habitude does the Intelligible Effence or Reafon, only more directly, because a priori. And therefore fince as we have fhewn, the Ideal Reasons or Effences of things are in God and confequently eternal, the Conclufion fhines out with full Evidence, that there are Eternal Habitudes or Relations of Things one to another, which in other Words is the fame as that there are Eternal Truths, which according to all rational Conception have as neceffary an Emanation from the Divine Ideas, as those Ideas have from the All-being Effence of God. 3. And thus you fee how eternal Truths do neceffarily refult from the Divine Ideas, and also in the the fame View of what Moment and Confequence the Doctrin of the Divine Ideality is, as laying fo certain a Foundation for fo weighty a Structure. The Confideration of which as it well rewards the Pains we have bestowed upon that neglected and uncultivated piece of Speculation, fo it may juftly return back fome bright Reflections upon the Truth of those Premises which appear to have fo neceffary and fo immediate a Connexion with fo important, and otherwise I think (at least a priori) indemonftrable a Conclufion. 4. And now we are come to the Fons veri lucidus, and have traced Eternal Truths to their Original Head, where their clear and living Spring rifes, and whence it richly flows to relieve the Thirst of the Contemplative, and for the general Refreshment of the whole Intellectual World. The Divine Ideas that live and fhine in the Eternal Mind, are that living and lucid Spring, that from an inexhaustible Fund, viz. the Infinite Effence of God, Streams forth perpetual and eternal Truths, fufficient to employ the Contemplation of Eternal Ages, and which is more of an Infinite Mind. Here the Arts Originally flourish, hence the Antient Family of Metaphysical Truths derive their Pedegree, and here Geometry was a Science before any Lines or Figures could be drawn upon Matter. Here Wisdom furnishes her Table, and mingles her Wine, and cries out to him that wants Understanding, come eat of my Bread, and drink of the Wine which I have mingled. For with thee O my God is the Well of Truth, as well as the Well of Life, as the Springs of our Happiness are in thee, fo the Springs of our Light and Knowledge Are are also in thee, that fo thou maist be an Object truly Beatifick, the intire Good of our Souls, and every way qualify'd for our Love. 5. And now you that boast of your Pedegrees and Genealogies, fee the great Original and high Defcent of Eternal Truths, which immediately fpring from the Ideas which for ever live and shine in the Mind of God, fee alfo the Antiquity of their Family, as being from everlasting, in which Respect all Worldly Greatnefs, nay even the World it felf, bears date from yesterday. See also the Neceffity, Stability and Permanency of it. The Divine Nature cannot be without Ideas, and these Ideas cannot be without being related to one ano ther, fo that the Ideal Relations are every whit as neceffary as the Ideas themselves are. This fhews then that there are and muft needs be Eternal Truths, neceffary and immutable Truths, fuch as no Will can bring into Being, and no UnderStanding can ever difpute out of it. And what is there fo neceffary befides him who effentially is? The Neceffity of Fate (if any fuch thing there be) is but Contingency to that of Truth, that being owing to Decree, whereas this is from the very Nature of the Things themfelves, which cannot poffibly be other wife than they are. Accordingly thefe Truths as they never began, fo they will never end, but ftand faft for ever and ever, as the true Faithful Witness in Heaven. And if Eternity it felf cannot,much lefs can Time make any Change in them. SECT. |