Nay, we cannot remove out of our minds the SER M. idea of immenfity, that is, of infinite exten- VII. sion or space, no more than of eternal duration, tho' we are far from being able to comprehend it. Our fenfes convey to us the notion of distance: we eafily imagine a greater distance than can be perceiv'd by them; but the imagination endeavouring to grasp its utmost extent, presently loses itself in an object too large for its capacity, and all the length it can proceed is only to this negative conclufion, that no limits can be set to space. Some have apprehended the fpace which is beyond the world, to be nothing real; they call it imaginary; that it is no more than a mere capacity of being; and, if infinity is to be attributed to it, 'tis but a potential infinity. But others think, that fince there are certain limits to the material world, there must be measurable distance on its utmost surface, and its parts diftinguish'd in their fituation, as well as within the system; and those distances on the outfide, having, like others, equality and different proportions, (which cannot be faid of abfolute nothing,) that therefore space is fomething real, confifting of truly different tho' infeparable parts; and that immense space is more than a bare poffibility, tho' we cannot form a pofitive idea of it. But whatever it is, and SERM. and the manner of God's existence in it, we VII. cannot avoid attributing immenfity to him. The ideas of uncaused and unlimited existence seem to be connected together; and he who comprehends all things, must be without, as well as within them, his effence circumfcrib'd by no bounds. Still however, as was observ'd before, what we are fure of and more clearly understand, is, that the power and wisdom which ftretched out the heavens and eftablished the earth, are intimately near to them and all their parts: Which notion of the omniprefence of God, that he fills the whole univerfe, continually preferving and governing it, as it is the moft intelligible, fo it is the most useful, tending to excite in our minds the most becoming affections towards the Supreme Being. This therefore I fhall principally infifton in the following difcourfe; that as the scripture speaks, God fills heaven and earth, not limited in his being and operations to one region of the universe, he posfeffeth the whole as the fovereign difpofing Cause, and fupreme Ruler. Inthron'd in heaven where the highest orders of created beings dwell, and pay him their homage, he exercises his dominion in all places at once, not mediately by the delegated power of others, who in his abfence rule under him, but by his own immediate immediate presence, powerfully preferving SERM. and wifely superintending all things. This I VII. will endeavour to prove and to explain, and then make some practical reflections upon it. Since we have fufficient evidence of wif dom and defign in the formation and government of the world, and fince this appears in every work of nature which we have any knowledge of, we have reafon alfo to conclude the fame concerning those which are least known to us. If the motions of the fun and moon, and all the phænomena of the earth, not only the animal life, but even plants and inanimate things; if they all manifeft the counsel and power of the one univerfal Caufe, who can doubt but the fame active intelligence rules in diftant worlds, and fyftems beyond ours, if there are any such, even to the utmoft bounds of exiftence? Hence we infer the omniprefence of God in the fenfe we are now confidering it, from the very arguments by which we prove his being. For fince that active intelligence to which all things are to be attributed as their Caufe, is feated in a Mind, that Mind must neceffarily be the SERM.the laft hand to it, and settled it in its finish'd VII. form, can fubfift by itself without any care or interpofition of his; like the productions of human art, which receive no more from the artift than the mere outward form, and the mutual relation of their grofs parts, which could as well have flood by 'themselves in another form if his hand had never touch'd them. The Divine operations enter deeper into the conftitutions of things, which must be upheld and directed to their various ufes, by the continued influence of the fame power which first gave them being. The gravitation of bodies is an example of this kind which I mention'd before, not to be accounted for by any powers originally given to matter, whereby it can, if left to itself, produce fuch an appearance, but it requires the constant impulfe of an external agent to affect it. And being fo neceffary as it is to the corporeal fyftem, to its form and continued order, and to its answering the purpofes it was made for, fhews plainly the prefence of an intelligent activity in all parts of it, powerfully preferving and governing them. What therefore we commonly call the laws of nature, whereby the inanimate fyftem is ruled, is really no more than a conftant feries of uniform Divine operations upon matter, whereby its parts co here in their regular forms, and answer their SER M.' ends. But the other particular and very various productions of nature, which cannot be explain'd by any general mechanical laws, still more clearly fhew the prefence of God with all his works. The formation of plants and of animals; the curious texture of their parts; the difpofing of them in the feveral places which are the most convenient for their nourishment and their fpecial ufes; the prefervation of their feveral kinds unmix'd; the propagation of them in an establish'd regular method;-Thefe things conftantly falling out, not according to any general laws impress'd on matter and motion, but by the particular direction of a plaftic power, evidently prove continued design in every one of them, defcending to the moft minute. For it is not merely the first model of a vegetable, as a pattern for all the rest of the kind, and the formation of the first individual fenfitive life of every species, that shews the skill and power of the maker. They could never have been. propagated of themselves; and every new production requires the exertion of the fame power, and the direction of the fame wisdom. The human life in the whole of its conftitution, and especially its nobler powers, have VII. |