viii INTRODUCTION. 



fhall, upon their principles, be able to eftablifh, not only the great 

 truths of natural religion, but fome of the fundamental dodrines of 

 Chriftianity. 



The work will be divided into three parts. T\\tfirjl of which, con- 

 tained in this volume, will explain the fubjed of Metaphyfics, its na-, 

 ture, and extent, and will lay down the general principles of the 

 fcience. 



In \\\tJecQnd part, I propofe to treat of Man ; and, through Man, 

 to proceed to God and Nature ; which will be the fubjed of my third 

 and lajl part. 



In the fecond part, I propofe to confider Man in a more extenfive 

 view than he has hitherto been confidered by writers upon morals and 

 politics, not only as a fpecies of animal by himfelf, but as a part of 

 the fyftem of the univerfe, and containing in himfelf a type, as it 

 were, or model of the whole fyftem ; for, it was an antient notion, and 

 which, I think, I have (hown to be true, even in this part of my work, 

 ' That man is, in himfelf, a little world, being compofed, not only of 



* the four elements, but of the vegetable, the animal, and the intellec- 



* tual life.' And, in that part of my work, I hope to make it appear, 

 that what I have advanced in another work is true, * That it would 



* not be according to the order of Nature, if thefe three fhould operate 

 ' at once in Man, but that there muft neceflarily be a progrefs from 



* the 'vegetable to the animal^ and from the a7iimal to the intelle^ualy 



* not only in the individual^ but in ihQ fpecies.* 



The.firft part of my work, contained in this volume, is divided in- 

 to five Books, The firft gives an account of the nature of the fcience, 

 explains what Body, Mind, and'^Motion, are, and gives the definitions 

 of feveral other terms ufed in this work. 



In 



