of itself; for then it would be a perfection, either of nothing, or of itself; which would make it a perfection, and not a perfection, at the same time, which is absurd; and would introduce diversity into its nature, and thereby destroy its simplicity and uniformity. Therefore, we must still consider it as a perfection; and, pursuing this perfection of such unlimited magnitude, we are led to conclude, that there must be some glorious, pure, simple, everliving, and necessarily-existent Substance, in which boundless duration, as an essential and necessary perfection, must inhere. This substance can only be what we call the Divine Being-this can only be God.

13. According to this reasoning, then, if duration be in reality a perfection, as we have already proved it must be, we see clearly, that it must be a perfection of some substance; for a perfection must ultimately inhere in some substance, because the contrary is impossible. And as duration, in all its uncreated, absolute extent, cannot inhere, as an essential and necessary perfection, in the essence of any created being, it must inhere, as a perfection, in the essence of an uncreated and necessarily-existent Being. And this uncreated Being, in whose essence duration necessarily inheres, and is thereby constituted a perfection, must be every way as extensive, unlimited, and boundless, as this perfection is: therefore there can be but one, and only one, uncreated, neces

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sarily-existent Essence, in which this infinite and uncreated perfection inheres.

14. That substance, or essence, of which duration is an essential and necessary perfection, according to the foregoing reasoning, cannot be finite; because duration, in the full, perfeet, and abstract meaning of the word, is, in all respects, infinite.

For, if that substance, of which duration is an essential and necessary perfection, be finite, and duration, its perfection, be infinite, then the perfection must be more extensive than the essence, or substance, in which it essentially and necessarily inheres; which would make a perfection without a substance, in those regions where that substance is not, and where it cannot possibly be, according to the supposition, because of its finitude, which is absurd. Therefore, though duration be, in reality, necessary to the existence of finite substances, as a medium of being, which we have already argued, yet we cannot affirm, that it is an essential and necessary perfection inhering in finite substances, in any other way than as it proves itself to be the medium of their existence, and yet, in its utmost acceptation, external to them, and independent of them; and would be the same that it really is, uniformly and unceasingly, notwithstanding created and finite substances, whether matter or mind, had never existed; and would continue still the same, were they for ever struck out of being.

Perhaps we may say, in this view, that it points out the distinction between a created and uncreated substance; or that it is one of those criteria which draws a line of distinction between the contingent and the necessarily-existent Substance. In the one case, it proves itself a perfection; in the other, it is constituted a perfection.

15. Absolute duration being an eternal, immense, and immutable perfection, proves, with demonstration that admits of no doubt or contradiction, the certain existence of an eternal, immense, and immutable Substance. And, arguing from the perfection to the essence, this Substance must be incomprehensible by created beings, however perfect and extensive their intellectual capacities may be. By duration, we are taught humbly to look up, and reverently adore, that Essence, whose perfection it is; and, overwhelmed with the boundless magnitude of this perfection, and of that Essence in which it inheres, we are lost in admiration, filled with wonder and awe, and called upon for ever to explore the other incomprehensible perfections, and glorious majesty, of this great First Cause of all things.

16. This eternal, immense, immutable, and necessarily-existent Substance must be every where, absolutely, simply, uniformly, and indivisibly; because absolute duration, which is one of the

essential and necessary attributes of it, exists every where, necessarily, absolutely, simply, uniformly, and indivisibly; and therefore the Substance in which this perfection inheres, must necessarily do the same. And this Substance must be, as already argued, the great, eternal, independent, and necessarily-existent Cause of all things.

By a careful investigation of duration, as an essential perfection of this necessarily-existent, self-sufficient, and all-perfect Being, how majestic, how sublime, how inscrutable, how unutterable and glorious, must this divine, spiritual, intelligent, and self-existent Substance be, of which duration is an essential perfection! The minds of all created intelligences united together, and endeavouring to assist each other to find out this ineffable Being, in all its boundless perfections, must fail in the attempt, and sink before the divine presence of this glorious Substance, like au atom before the universe.

17. This great, this glorious, and incomprehensible Being, of which duration is an essential perfection, must necessarily possess all its other perfections, in full and perfect exercise, wherever it is, and that must be in every point through the wide-extended and immeasurable universe, and still farther beyond the universe than man or angel can conceive or imagine; in short, through every point of eternity and immensity; otherwise

the absent perfections would be essential and not essential at the same time, which is a contradiction; and would argue imperfection, and prove, that a substance, and its essential attributes, do not necessarily exist together, which is absurd and impossible. Duration, then, with respect to this ineffable Substance, and considered as an essential perfection of it, admits of no limits, periods, epochs, æras, or measurement, or limitation of any kind, but is omnipresent and unceasing. All creation is enveloped in this unlimited duration, and encompassed by it, as with a boundary.

18. This eternal, immense, and immutable Substance must necessarily have all its essential perfections, in full and perfect exercise every where. None can be separated from it; none can be wanting; none can cease to exist; but, throughout eternity and immensity, in every period, and every point, this necessarily-existent Being must be perfectly the same. No defect, no variation, can belong to it; but whatever it is any where, that it must absolutely be every where, without limitation, without bounds, all together infinite; perfection infinite, energy infinite, morality inf

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19. This uncreated and mysterious substance cannot partially exist, or have a beginning in duration, or an end, like created objects, or crea ted substances, whether matter or mind; because