Page:The true intellectual system of the universe - the first part; wherein, all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted; and its impossibility demonstrated (IA trueintellectual1678cudw).pdf/16

  by which the now onely remaining Ground, of the Fatal Necessity of all Actions and Events, will be Taken away. And all these Three under that One General Title, of The True Intellectual System of the Universe. Each Book having besides, its own Particular Title: as, Against Atheism; For Natural Justice and Morality, Founded in the Deity; For Liberty from Necessity, and a Distributive Justice of Rewards and Punishments in the World. And this we conceive may fully satisfy, concerning our General Title, all those, who are not extremely Criticall or Captious, at least as many of them as have ever heard of the Astronomical Systems of the World: so that they will not think us hereby Obliged, to Treat of the Hierarchy of Angels, and of all the Several Species of Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals, &c. that is, to write De Omni Ente, of whatsoever is Contained within The Complexion of the Universe. Though the Whole Scale of Entity is here also taken notice of; and the General Ranks of Substantiall Beings, below the Deity, (or Trinity of Divine Hypostases) Consider'd: which yet, according to our Philosophy, are but Two; Souls of several Degrees, (Angels themselves being included within that Number) and Body or Matter: as also the Immortality of those Souls Proved. Which notwithstanding is Suggested by us, onely to Satisfy some mens Curiosity. Nevertheless we confess that this General Title, might well have been here spared by us, and this Volume have been Presented to the Reader's View, not as a Part or Piece, but a Whole Compleat and Entire thing by it self, had it not been for Two Reasons; First, Our beginning with those Three Fatalisms, or False Hypotheses of the Intellectual System, and Promising a Confutation of them all, then when we thought to have brought them within the Compass of One Volume; and Secondly, Every other Page's, throughout this whole Volume, accordingly bearing the Inscription, of Book the First, upon the Head thereof. This is therefore that which in the First place, we here Apologize for, our Publishing One Part or Book alone by it self; We being surprized in the Length thereof; Whereas we had otherwise Intended Two more along with it. Notwithstanding which, there is no Reason, why this Volume should therefore be thought Imperfect and Incomplete, because it hath not All the Three Things at first Designed by us; it containing All that belongeth to its own Particular Title and Subject, and being in that respect no Piece, but a Whole. This indeed must needs beget an Expectation, of the Two following Treatises, (especially in such as shall have receiv'd any Satisfaction from this First;) concerning those Two other Fatalisms, or False Hypotheses mentioned; to make up our Whole Intellectual System Compleat: The One, to Prove, That God is not meer Arbitrary Will Omnipotent, (without any Essential Goodness and Justice) ing