may observe that God is not incongruously viewed in various ways, whether we contemplate him respecting what he is in himself, or what he is in reference to his works.

Still it is the self-same being that is the object of our meditation; to whom if we were not to ascribe a plurality of energies, I should like to be informed how we could ever entertain any notion of a plurality of divine attributes, except we were rash enough to resolve them into our own abstract ideas. It is admitted that omnipotence presents us with one comprehensive and combined view of all the attributes. But in order to enter into the consideration of omnipotence itself, can we rightly exclude any one of those powers or energies that constitute altogether an omnipotent being? The self-existent energy cannot be the same as the creative energy; for if these two energies were eternally and unalterably as if they were but one energy, then the effects of either (if not supposed to be the same) would be precisely similar, and the creature would thus be absurdly inferred as eternal, &c. as the Creator himself. And similar absurdities would flow from the same indiscriminate view of the other divine attributes. There must consequently be a plurality of divine energies, or (in other words) God possesses in himself such an illimitable power, as in its various deve

lopements, or modis operandi, to evince most manifestly the assumed variety.

It must be admitted, that the omniscience of God is antecedent to the exertion of some of his energies; that is, it must be antecedent, not to the capability of exertion, but to the actual exertion of any of his non-eternally operating energies, such as his creative energy, &c. But to assume that he is omniscient previously to the actual exertion of any of his energies whatever, is totally inadmissible, as representing him most erroneously as if he were, on an eternal principle, a passive, inactive, or non-energetic being, and only energetic on certain occasions. His omniscience, therefore, cannot be antecedent to, but merely co-eval with, any of his eternally operating energies; both cause and effect, in this point of view, being coeval and co-eternal. And hence it is And hence it is easy to understand how an omnipotent being can eternally exert that energy by which he is an all-wise being; not that the exertion of that energy and its concomitant effect omniscience are to be supposed antecedent the one to the other, but purely co-eval and co-eternal.

When, moreover, we speak of divine attributes according to our abstract ideas, we are not to imagine that any one of the divine perfections so denominated is void of energy or an energetic

capability. For brevity of expression, therefore, as well as facility in communicating our ideas, we designate omniscience and self-existence as if they were those divine energies whereof they may appear to be merely co-eval and co-eternal effects. And as to any other divine attribute, we shall treat it in a similar manner, or as if it were the energy itself whereof it may be esteemed the concomitant effect.

The energies of God seem resolvable into two classes, those that are of eternal and incessant exertion, and those that are merely exerted as occasion may require in the divine estimation. Nor ought it to be insinuated that we hereby assume the existence of so many distinct potentialities or beings, while we simply ascribe congruous effects to the vast and indubitable energies respectively of one and the same divine being.

BASIS.

It being admitted as demonstrable that there is a Creator who called the universe into existence; and that he is self-existent, eternal, omnipotent, &c.; we proceed on this assumed or conceded foundation, to consider some of the results in the following series of deductions.

No. 1.

Any eternally-operating energy (or modus operandi) of God, continued unalterably the same in operation throughout the entire antecedent period.

Previously to the existence of any creature, there could not have been any object whatever, except the divine Being himself, on or in which any eternally-operating energy of God, could have operated. The object, therefore, remaining unchanged, (or any of the given energies, having only one object to act upon, and that an immutable being,) it is conclusive, that any eternally-operating energy (or modus operandi) of God, continued unalterably the same in operation throughout the entire antecedent period.

No. 2.

Any eternally-operating energy (or modus operandi) of God, could not be the cause of any thing created, or of any operation thereof; if it would require an eternity of operation to produce its effects.

For under this supposition, its effects must either co-exist and be co-eternal with, or otherwise must follow (as they could not precede) that eternity of operation. In either of which cases, it could not be the cause of any thing created, or of any operation thereof;-its effects in the former instance being eternal; or in the latter case, being such as could never exist, as it is not possible for any effect whatever to prove subsequent to an eternity of operation.

No. 3.

Any eternally-operating energy (or modus operandi) of God, could not be the cause of any thing created, if it would require (howsoever minute or enlarged) only a finite period of operation to produce its effects.

For if in idea, we move retrogressively from the common boundary of the antecedent and creation periods, in reference to an eternal duration, it is manifest, that we can never go so far back as to arrive at any beginning in the antecedent period. And the like is equally deducible, if we set out retrogressively from some point within the antecedent period, assumed at some finite distance from the common