OP THB UNITr OP THE DEITY. 253 



" Self-existence," is another negative idea, viz. the ne- 

 gation of a preceding cause, as of a progenitor, a maker, 

 an autlior, a creator. 



'* Necessary existence," means demonstrable existence. 



" Spirituality" expresses an idea, made up of a negative 

 part, and of a positive part. The negative part, consists in 

 the exclusion of some of the known properties of matter, 

 especially of solidity, of the vis inertics, and of gravitation. 

 The positive part, comprises perception, thought, will, pow- 

 er, action, by which last term is meant the origination of mo- 

 tion ; the quality, perhaps, in which resides the essential 

 superiority of spirit over matter " which cannot move, un- 

 less it be moved ; and cannot but move, when impelled by 

 another."* I apprehend that there can be no difficulty in 

 applying to the Deity both parts of this idea. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



THE UNITY OF THE DEITY. 



Of the " unity of the Deity" the proof is, the uniformitij 

 of plan observable in the universe. The universe itself is 

 a system ; each part either depending upon other parts, or 

 being connected with other parts by some common law of 

 motion, or by the presence of some common substance. 

 One principle of gravitation causes a stone to drop towards 

 the earth, and the moon to wheel round it. One law of at- 

 traction carries all the different planets about the sun. This 

 philosophers demonstrate. There are also other points of 

 agreement amongst them, which may be considered as 

 marks of the identity of their origin, and of their intelli- 

 gent author. In all are found the conveniency and stabili- 

 ty derived from gravitation. They all experience vicissi- 

 tudes of days and nights, and changes of season. They all, 

 at least Jupiter, Mars, and Venus, have the same advanta- 

 ges from their atmosphere as we have. In all the planets^ 

 the axes of rotation are permanent. Nothing is more prob- 

 able, than that the same attracting influence, acting accord- 

 ing to the same rule, reaches to the fixed stars : but if this 

 be only probable, another thing is certain, viz. that the 

 same element of light does. The light from a fixed star 

 affects our eyes in the same manner, is refracted and reflect- 



•I" Bishop Wilkin's Principles of Nat. Rel. p. 106. 



