ESSAY VI. 418 upon them. This is infinite knowledge and infinite power. And indeed this idea of infinite power and knowledge has no manner of connexion with extension or space,'any more than the idea of infinite spaceor emptiness has with knowledge and power : They have nothingat all to do with each other as attributes of the same substance. But now if we could suppose the very substance of the bles- sed God to be really long, broad and deep, and to be actually ex- tended through the whole universe of matter, and through all imaginary space, what advantage would be gained by it tóward the aggrandizing of his own majesty, or our ideas of him ? What could he do more by this supposed infinite extension of his sub- stance, than to be immediately conscious of all things, and to have an immediate power and influence upon all, to know all possibles, and give them existence when' he please ? And this is as fully and honourably attributed to him in my way ofthinking, without any of those inconveniences, and those harsh or absurd ideas and speeches which arise from attributing extension with all its consequences to the great and blessed God. Conclusion. But after all our best philosophemes on thena- ture of spirits, we must confess our great ignorance of that more glorious and noblepart of the creation. We are immersed in the affairs of sense and matter, and imposed uponperpetually by the prejudices arising thence : And when weendeavour to quit our- selves of them, and to turnour backs entirely upon sensible ideas, we are in danger of wandering into darkness, and sometimesper- haps of going beyond our clear and distinct perceptions. The best thing we can do is, to guard against those ideas of spirits which haveany gross absurdities attending them ; and particular- ly to stand afar off from those opinionswhich would bear in any indecent and dishonourable ideas, upon God the supreme Spirit. I would assert nothing with confidence on so abstruse a subject; I would retract all the expressions that savour of too much assu- rance ; perhaps I may be mistaken in this whole set of sentiments : I am therefore ready to renounce them all, as soon as I can find another scheme more just and more natural. And if I am forced to retain these opinions, it is only for want of better, till I retire from this world. I hope then to see as I am seen, and know as I am known ; to have clearer and juster ideas of what I am and what God is ; and to join with the holy millions of spirits in the. heavenly world, to pay honours to my Creator- spirit, more agree- able to,the dignity of my own nature and the incomprehensible grandeurs of bis majesty. Amen.
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