46o ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book V. 



effefty In matters of fcience, is to overturn all fcience and demonftra- 

 tion. 



The reader will obferve that, in my definition of caufe, I have not 

 mentioned priority of time : And the reafon is, that it has nothing to 

 do with this kind of caiifation \ for the corollary is an eternal truth, as 

 much as the proportion from w^hich it is deduced. And what is 

 proved by the axiom, has been true from all eternity, as well as the 

 axiom. And the reafon of this is plain ; for, as in demonflration, we 

 argue from general to particulars ; and, as the particulars are parts of 

 the general, and contained under it, it is evident that the parts of any 

 ivhole muft be co-eval with the 'whole. 



And it is in this fenfe that truth may be faid, not only to be eter- 

 naU but divine, becaufe, in this refpedt, it refembles the productions of 

 Divinity, which we conceive to be eternal, as their author. Thus, we 

 fay that the fecond and third perfons of the Trinity, proceeding from 

 the firft, are CO- eternal with the firft, and yet of exiftence dependent upon 

 him. And, in the fame manner, the antients, as I have obferved, con- 

 ceived the material world to be an eternal emanation of the Eternal 

 Caufe, 



But it is otherwife with refped to things that are in generation and 

 corruption, or the corruptible things of this ivorld^ as they are called in 

 Scripture ; for there, the caufe producing, is always prior in time to the 

 effed produced. And this is the common notion of caufe and effed ; 

 for the vulgar have no idea of that Divine caufation which I have 

 juft now endeavoured to explain. 



Thus, I have (hown that, in matters of fcience, we have a clear 

 idea of caufe and effed, and perceive diftindly how the caufe pro- 

 duces the effedl: ; and that this is fo eifential to fcience, that, without 

 it, there is no fcience. As to fa<^s of natural and civil hiftory, 1 have 



ihown, 



