contradiction. We can have no other conception of any duration which is past, than that all of it was once prefent; and whatever was once prefent, is at fome certain diftance from us; and whatever is at any certain distance from us, be the diftance never fo remote, cannot be eter. nity. The very notion of any duration's being paft, implies that it was once prefent; for the idea of being once prefent, is actually included in the idea of its be ing paft. This therefore is a depth not to be founded by human understanding. We are fure that there has been an eternity, and yet contradict our felves when we measure this eternity by any notion which we can frame of it.

If we go to the bottom of this matter, we fhall find, that the difficulties we meet with in our conceptions of eternity proceed from this fingle reafon, that we can have no other idea of any kind of duration, than that by which we our felves, and all other created Beings, do exift; which is, a fucceffive duration made up of past, present, and to come. There is nothing which exifts after this manner, all the parts of whofe existence were not once actually prefent, and confequently may be reached by a certain

number

number of years applied to it. We may afcend as high as we pleafe, and employ our Being to that eternity which is to come, in adding millions of years to millions of years, and we can never come up to any fountain-head of duration, to any beginning in eternity: But at the fame time we are fure, that whatever was once prefent does lie within the reach of numbers, though perhaps we can never be able to put enough of them together for that purpose. We may as well fay, that any thing may be actually prefent in any part of infinite fpace, which does not lie at a certain diftance from us, as that any part of infinite duration was once actually prefent, and does not alfo lie at fome determined diftance from us. The diftance in both cafes may be im measurable and indefinite as to our faculties, but our reafon tells us that it cannot be fa in it felf. Here therefore is that difficulty which human understanding is not capable of furmounting We are fure that fomething must have exifted from eternity, and are at the fame time unable to conceive, that any thing which exifts, according to our notion of exiftence, can have exifted from eternity.

It

It is hard for a reader, who has not rolled this thought in his own mind, to follow in fuch an abstracted fpeculation; but I have been the longer on it, becaufe I think it is a demonftrative argument of the Being and Eternity of a God: And tho' there are many other demonftrations which lead us to this great truth, I do not think we ought to lay afide any proofs in this matter which the light of reafon has fuggefted to us, efpecially when it is fuch a one as has been urged by men famous for their penetration and force of understanding, and which appears altogether conclufive to those who will be at the pains to examine it.

Having thus confidered that eternity which is paft, according to the best idea we can frame of it, I fhall now draw up those several articles on this fubject which are dictated to us by the light of reafon, and which may be looked upon as the Creed of a Philofopher in this great point.

First, It is certain that no Being could have made it felf; for if fo, it must have acted before it was, which is a contradiction.

Secondly, That therefore fome Being muft have exifted from all eternity.

Thirdly,

Thirdly, That whatever exifts after the manner of created Beings, or according to any notions which we have of Existence, could not have existed from Eternity.

Fourthly, That this eternal Being must therefore be the great Author of nature, The Ancient of Days, who, being at an infinite distance in his perfections from all finite and created Beings, exifts in a quite different manner from them, and in a manner of which they can have no Idea.

I know that feveral of the School-men who would not be thought ignorant of any thing, have pretended to explain the manner of God's existence, by telling us, That he comprehends infinite duration in every moment; That eternity is with him a Punctum ftans, a fixed point; or, which is as good Senfe, an infinite inftant; That nothing with reference to his Existence is either past or to come: To which the ingenious Mr. Cowley alludes in his defcription of Heaven,

Nothing is there to come, and nothing paft,
But an Eternal Now does always laft.

For my own part, I look upon these propofitions as words that have no ideas annexed to them; and think men had better own their ignorance, than advance Doctrines

Doctrines by which they mean nothing, and which indeed are felf-contradictory. We cannot be too modeft in our dif quifitions, when we meditate on Him who is environed with fo much glory and perfection, who is the fource of Be ing, the fountain of all that existence which we and his whole Creation derive from him. Let us therefore with the utmoft humility acknowledge, that as fome Being muft neceffarily have exifted from eternity, fo this Being does texift after an incomprehenfible manner, fince it is impoffible for a Being to have exifted from eternity after our manner or notions of Existence. Revelation confirms thefe natural dictates of reafon in the accounts which it gives us of the Divine Existence, where it tells us, that he is the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever; that he is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending; that a thoufand years are with him as one day, and one day as a thousand years; by which and the like expreffions, we are taught, that his Existence, with relation to time. or duration, is infinitely different from the Existence of any of this creatures, and confequently that it is impoffible for

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