FIRST PRINCIPLES, OR AXIOMS, LAID DOWN
IN THE FOLLOWING ESSAY.
THE Divine Essence being necessarily, naturally, and most perfectly spiritual, must be immaterial, simple, and indivisible.
The immateriality, spirituality, simplicity, and indivisibility, of the Divine Essence, does not prevent it from subsisting in personality, according to all the qualities and attributes of its own
As the Divine Essence is naturally and neces sarily perfect, it must subsist in the most perfect personality, according to its own nature.
The Divine Being was as necessarily existent, perfect, and happy, before creation and providence, as since; and would for ever continue to be as happy as it now is, were the whole universe extinguished in a moment, and reduced to its original nonentity, never again to exist.