256 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book III. 



Por he feat to this earth his only begotten fon (that Is In philofo- 

 phical language, the only immediate produdlion from him), to af- 

 lliiTiC the human form, and to let men know that the end of this 

 world was approaching, and that, therefore, they fliould prepare for 

 it, by living in fuch a way as to efcape punirhnicnt, and to merit 

 happincfs in a future life. 



And tlms I think I have jiifcified the ways of God to men (to ufc 

 the words of our great Poet), by fliowing that he is the author of 

 no evil among men, but that all evil ariies from the ncccflity of na- 

 ture. And, in the fuft place, it was ncccllary that there fliould be 

 intelligences in the univerfe more or Icfs perfe(El ; for if all intelli- 

 gences had been equally perfctt, there would not have been that 

 A'ariety in the univerfe, which fo compleat a fyftem requires, and 

 where nothing is wanting that can exill without inconfiftence with 

 the nature of things, or the attributes of God. Secondly, As man 

 is an animal of an imperfect intelligence, it was neceflary, accord- 

 ing to the laws of Nature, that fome fhould fall from the ftate in 

 which they were created, and confequently fuffer much evil in the 

 ftate of trial and probation in which they are at prefent, before they 

 can be reilored to the happier ftate from which they are fallen. 

 What evil, therefore, man has fuffered In his primitive ftate, or 

 docs now fuffer, arifes from natural neceflity ; I mean tkofe laws of 

 nature which are part of the conftitution of the uriiverfe, which, as 

 I have faid, God could not alter without altering his own nature : 

 Eor though we commonly fpeak of God and Nature as diftind Be- 

 ings, they are truly but one Being ; for what we call Nature^ is 

 truly nothing but God operating in the material world upon the ele- 

 ments, animals, bodies and minds there, by certain laws called 

 Laii's of Nature^ of which if God fliould prevent the operations, 

 ii would be contradicting himfelf, and altering his own nature. 



What 



