42 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book. I. 



the definition oi pbilofophy in general can be To well applied, viz. the 

 knoiJuJeclge of all things divine and human ; that is, the whole univerfe f. 



Now, as all things cannot be known by the hunian mind, other- 

 wife than in their firft caufes and principles, the firft philofophy muft 

 neceflarily be the knowledge of fuch firft caufes and principles, which 

 are the firft of be itigs, and do virtually contain in themfelves all other 

 beings : And, for that reafon, Ariftotle fays, they have more of enfitjr 

 in them than other things '^. Now, though mind be the principal thing 

 in the univerfe^ being the firft mover and author of all generation and 

 production, yet, as there are in the univerfe inaterial caufes^ as well as 

 efficient., jinaU diW^ for?Jial, it is neceffary that they alfo fhould be con- 

 fid ered as a part of ihcjirjl Philofophy. 



Metaphyfics, therefore, being the knowledge of the univerfe, 

 and of the firft caufes and principles of things, it muft necefTarily 

 comprehend the knowledge of the firft caufe of all, that is, the Deity^ 

 or Supreme Being : And this is the fubjedt of the higheft part of it, 

 called theology. But, as God is not to be known by us, except by his 

 works, and, as we cannot afcend to the firft caufe otherwife than by 

 the fcale of inferior caufes^ the ftudy of the univerfe^ and the princi- 

 ples of it, muft neceflarily, by way of preparation to theology., be ftu- 

 died by the firft Philofopher. And, accordingly, Ariftotle having ex- 

 plained thofe pHnciples in his book of metaphyfics, concludes them 

 with theology y or the doctrine of the firft caufe. 



And now we fee the whole extent of the fcience of metaphyfics ; 

 for, thougii the proper fubjedt of it be mind., feparated froai ^natter., 

 fuch as, I hope, I fliall demonftrate the Supreme mind to be, tlie great 



author, 



fThis is Plato's definition of philofophy : And it is explained by Ammonius in his 

 commentary upon Porphyry's inrrodudlion, p 5. in the fame way that I have cxpiain- 

 cd it ; that is, to denote the knowledge of all things; for, fays hc^ by divine^ is 

 meaned things eternal and unchangcabie ; by humati) things changeable, and in genera- 

 tion and corrnption. 



\ Metaphyf. lib. 2- chap. I. 



