trine of the Satisfaction having an immediate Connexion with it, you cannot perceive an Abfurdity in the latter without perceiving the former. If we will not stop, where it becomes us, both you and I may imagine we perceive Abfurdities: and I know no Remedy for it. But, is not THIS to plunge us into Scepticifm? No: because we see a plain Reason à priori, why Creatures, who can hardly guess a-right at Things before them, should not irreverently, from the abftract Nature and Reafon of the Thing (of which they know little or nothing) pass a decifive Judgment upon the deep Things of God; humbly content to fee through a Glafs darkly, till the Time comes when they can fee Face to Face: and judging, that in fuch Points Human Reafon

Reason is but human Conjecture. But we cannot fee a Reason either à priori, or à pofteriori, why we ought not to judge of plain Matter of Fact, and the Proofs of God's Existence.

This is the chief Stand we can make against Atheism. The Partitions, you know, between Deifm and Atheism are very thin, and the Tranfition from the one to the other eafy and infenfible. A Perfon, that is an Half-Thinker, may ftop at Half-way. But he who will be at any Expence of Thought, must see, that for the very fame Reasons, for which he disbelieves the Three Perfons in the Godhead, and the Redemption; he should, if confiftent with himself, disbelieve the One God and the Creation. There is fúch a mutual Harmony and Correspond

ence

ence in the Compages of Truths, that, if one Member fuffers, all the Members fuffer with it; and, if one Member be honoured, all the Members rejoice with it.

Pray, Sir, what do you think of the Divine Omniprefence? If the Deity is unextended, He cannot be fubftantially prefent here, there, everywhere; (except you will fay, that He is in ubi, but not in loco; everywhere, but in no Place) and where there is no Subftance, there can be no Virtue, or Power of acting. Well then; is He extended? But can you confider a Being of infinite Wisdom, &c. under the grofs Idea of Length, Breadth and Height? At that Rate we might properly fay, a Foot, or Yard of the Deity; and if essential Attributes are co-extended with an extended

C.

tended Subject, a Foot or Yard of Wisdom, &c.

If effential Attributes are not coextended with the Subject, then the whole Divine Wisdom will be in that Substance, which fills Heaven, and yet the whole in that which fills Earth, and fo on: the whole in the whole, and whole in every Part. Do not you think you fee a Contradiction here? Again, the Notion of Eternity, whether you admit the eternal Succeffion, or the eternal Now, labours under a Complication of appearing (I was going to fay, for it is all one with you, real) Abfurdities. The latter is a Contradiction in Terms; and for the former, fee the Eighth Vol. of Spectators, BENTLEY'S Boylean Lectures, and COLLIBER'S Enquiry.

To clear

up

up my Notions about apparent and real Contradictions, I mentioned, in my former Letter, the feeming Repugnancy between Prefcience in God and Free-will in Man; of which you take no Notice. You like not my Distinction between real and apparent; and you dare not be fo irreverent as to affert, there is a real Contradiction between that Power in God and that Faculty in Man; and yet you cannot prove but there is a feeming one between them. Does it not seem to imply a Contradiction, that God fhould infallibly foreknow Contingents; that He should certainly fore-fee uncertain Events? Be pleased then to put the Doctrine of the Trinity and Satisfaction (two Doctrines near-allied) upon the fame Foot of Favour with Omniprefence,

Eter