A Demonstration of the Will of God by the Light of Nature; In Eight Discourses with and Introduction Shewing the Necessity of Enquiring After Truth and an Examination Into the Foundation of Error to Which Is Prefixed a Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Discourse III. A Demoftftration of the "Eternity of Matter, 'with a Definition of infinite Space and jinite Space, and a DiftinElion between the aftive and paflive Principles of the Univerfe. THE Eternity bf Matter, which has long been a Subject of Difpute, and much oppofed by fuch Men as are commonly called orthodox Divines, is, I think, as de- monftrable as the Sum total of various Numbers by a true Addition of them; but as fe- veral learned Men, among the Moderns, have oppofed it with fome Subtlety, thefe Enquirys will not, I believe, be thought unworthy the Attention of thofe who are inquifitive after natural and religious Truths. In this, and indeed in every other, Enquiry, the Reader mould diveft himfelf of all Prejudices, and not refolve againft any particular Doctrine, becaufe fome Men, who have been ftigmatized with the Names of Atheifts, have been Aflerters of it 3 nor fhould he be tenacioustenacious of any Opinion becaufe it happens to be ecleliaftical, and a common received one, nor attached to any great Names be- eaufe the Writings of fuch Men have prevailed: our own Country has lately produced fome few Men who have writ excellently on practical Religion and moral Obligations, and yet in the fame Volumes have defended (God and themfelves only know from what Motives) fuch Principles as, were they lefs popular, would be beneath the Dignity of human Nature to oppofe. I hope that I have fayed enough to gain the impartial Attention of Mankind; therefore I will proceed to my Demonftration of the Eternity of Matter. Dr. Clarke has rightly obferved that the only true Idea of a felfexiftent, or neccjjarily exifting, Being is the Idea of a Being, the Sup- pofition of whoje Nonexiftence is an exprefs Con- tradi