any certain distance from us, be the distance ever fo remote, cannot be eternity. The very notion of any duration's being past, implies that it was once prefent; for the idea of its being once present is actually included in the idea of its being past. This therefore is a depth not to be founded by human understanding. We are fure that there has been an eternity, and yet contradict ourselves when we measure this eternity by any notion which we can frame of it. ہو If we go to the bottom of this matter, we shall find that the difficulties we meet with in our conceptions of eternity, proceed from this single reason, that we can have no other idea of any kind of duration than that by which we ourselves, and all other created beings, do exift; which is, a fucceffive duration made up of paft, present, and to come. There is nothing which exifts after this manner, all the parts of whose existence were not once equally present, and confequently may be reached by a certain number of years applied to it. We may afcend as high as we please 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 present, 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 say, that any thing may be actually present in any part of infinite space, which does not lie at a certain distance from us, as that any part of infinite duration was once actually present, and does not also lie at fome determined distance from us. The diftance in both cafes may be immeasurable and indefinite as to our faculties, but our reason tells us that it cannot be so in itfelf. Here therefore is that difficulty which human understanding is not capable of furmounting. We are fure that fomething must have existed from eternity, and are at the fame time unable to conceive that any thing which exists, according to our notion of exiftence, can have existed from eternity. VOL. II. N2 It is hard for a reader, who has not rolled this thought in his own mind, to follow in such an abstracted speculation; but I have been the longer on it, because I think it is a demonstrative argument of the being and eternity of a God; and though 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 reason had suggested to us, especially when it is such 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 considered that eternity which is paft, according to the best idea we can frame of it, I shall now draw up those several articles on this subject, 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 itself; for if so, it must have acted before it was, which is a contradiction. Secondly, That therefore some being must have existed from all eternity. Thirdly, That whatever exists 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, exists in a quite different manner from them, and in a manner of which they can have no idea. I know that several 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 sense, an infinite inlant; that nothing, with reference to his existence, is either past or to come: To which the ingenious Mr. Cowley alludes in his description of Heaven Nothing is there to come, and nothing past, For my own part, I look upon those propositions as words that have no ideas annexed to them; and think men had better own their ignorance, than advance doctrines by which they mean nothing, and which, indeed, are self-contradictory. We cannot be too modeft in our difquifitions, when we meditate on Him, who is environed with so much glory and perfection, who is the fource of being, the fountain of all that existence which we and his whole creation derive from him. Let us therefore with the utmost humility acknowledge, that as fome being must neceffarily have existed from eternity, so this being does exist after an incomprehenfible manner, since it is impossible for a Being to have existed from eternity after our manner or notions of existence. Revelation confirms these natural dictates of reason 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; and that he is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. ing; that a thousand 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 his creatures, and consequently that it is impossible for us to frame any adequate conceptions of it. In the first revelation which he makes of his own being, he entitles himself, I am, that I am ; and when Mofes defires to know what name he shall give him in his embassy to Pharoah, he bids him say that I'am, hath sent you. Our great Creator, by this revelation of himself, does in a manner exclude every thing else from a real existence, and diftinguishes himself from his creatures, as the only being which truly and really exists. The ancient Platonic notion which was drawn from speculations of eternity, wonderfully agrees with this revelation which God has made of himself. There is nothing, say they, which in reality exifts, whose existence, as we call it, is pieced up of paft, present, and to come. Such a flitting and fuccessive exiftence, is rather a fhadow of existence, and fomething which is like it, than existence itself. He only properly exifts, whose existence is entirely present; that is, in other words, who exists in the most perfect manner, and in such a manner as we have no idea of. I shall conclude this fpeculation with one useful inference. How can we fufficiently prostrate ourselves, and fall down before our Maker, when we confider that ineffable goodness and wisdom which contrived this existence for finite natures ! What must be the overflowings of that good-will, which prompted our Creator to adapt exiftence to beings, in whom it is not neceffary? Especially when we confider that he himself was before in the complete poffeffion of existence and of happiness, and in the full enjoyment of eternity. What man can think of himself as called out and feparated from nothing, of his being made a confcious, a reasonable, and happy creature; in short, of being taken in as a sharer of existence, and a kind of partner in eternity, without being fwallowed up in wonder, in praise, in adoration! It is indeed a thought too big for the mind of man, and rather to be entertained in the secrecy of devotion, and in the filence of the foul, than to be expressed by words. The Supreme Being has not given us powers or faculties fufficient to extol and magnify such unutterable goodness. It is however fome comfort to us, that we shall be always doing what we shall never be able to do, and that a work which cannot be finished, will however be the work of an eternity. SPECTATOR, Vol. VIII. No. 590 I have always taken a particular pleasure in examining the opinions which men of different religions, different ages, and different countries, have entertained concerning the immortality of the foul, and the state of happiness which they promise themselves in an other world. For whatever prejudices and errors human nature lies under, we find that either reason or tradition from our first parents, has discovered to all people fomething in these great points which bears analogy to truth, and to the doctrines opened to us by divine revelation. I was lately discoursing on this subject with a learned person, who has been very much converfant among the inhabitants of the more western part of Africa. Upon his converfing with several in that country, he tells me that their notion of heaven, or of a future state of happiness, is this, that every thing we there with for, will immediately present itself to us. We find, fay they, our fouls are of fuch a nature that they require variety, and are not capable of being always delighted with the same objects. The Supreme Being, therefore, in compliance with this taste of happiness which he has planted in the foul of man, will raise up from time to time, say they, every gratification which it is in the humour to be pleased with. If we wish to be in groves, or bowers, among running streams, or falls of water, we shall immediately find ourselves in the midst of fuch a scene as we defire. If we would be entertained with music and the melody of founds, the concert arifes upon our with, and the whole region about us is filled with harmony. In short, every defire will be followed by fruition, and whatever a man's inclination directs him to, will be present with him. Nor is it material whether the Supreme Power creates in conformity to our wishes, or whether he only produces such a change in our imagination, as makes us believe ourselves converfant among those scenes which delight us. Our happinefs will be the fame, whether it proceed from external objects, or from the impressions of the Deity upon our own private fancies. This is the account which I have received from my learned friend. Notwithstanding this system of belief be in general very chimerical and vifionary, there is something sublime in its manner of confidering the influence of a Divine Being on ahu |