wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and

to the Reader, xxixbut by nature iand confequently, that the Deity cannot a6l, inflJehc^ andneceffitate men to fiich things, as are in their own nature evil ; and i.iftly,that neceffity is not intrinfecal to the nature of every thing, but tliat menhave fuch a liberty, or power over their own aftions, as may render tlieniaccountable for the fame, and blame-worthy when diey do amifi v and confequently,that there is a juftice diftributive of rewards and punifhmentsrunnino- dirough the world : I fay, thefe three, (which are the moil importantthings, that the mind of man can employ it feJf upon) taken all together,make up the wholenefs and entirenefs of that, which is here called byus, The true IntdleSiual Syjlem of the Univerfe, in fuch a fenfe, as Acheilinmay be called a falie Syftem thereof -, the word Intelle£lual being added,to diftinguilh it from the other, vulgarly lb called, Syftems of the JVorld^(that is, the vifible and corporeal world) the Ptolemaick, Tychonick, andCopernicanj the two former of which are now commonly accounted falfe,the latter true. And thus our profpeA being now enlarged into a threefoldfatalifm, or fpurious and falfe hypothefis of the Intelledual Syftem, makingall things ncceflary upon feveral grounds ; we accordingly dcfigned the confutationof them all, in three feveral books. The firft, againft Atheifm,(which is the Democritick fate) wherein all the reafon and philofopiiythereof is refelled, and the exiftence of a God demonftrated ; and fo thatCaix)} civxkn, or material necejfttyoi all things, overthrown. The fccond, forfuch a God, as is not meer arbitrary will omnipotent, decreeing, doing, andneceffitating all adlions, evil as well as good, but eflentially moral, goodand jurt: ; and for a natural difcrimen honejlorum ^ turpium, whereby anothergrou.'id of the neceflity of all human adions will be removed. And thethird and lalb, againft neceffity intrinfecal and effential to all adtion, and forfuch a liberty, or fui-potejlas, in rational creatures, as may render them accountable,capable of rewards and punifliments, and fo objedts of diftributive orretributive juliice •, by which the now only remaining ground, of the fatal neceffityof all actions and events, will be taken away. And all thefe threeunder that one general title of The True IntelleSlual Syjlem of the Univerfe jeach book having, befidcs, its own particular title : as, againft Atheilm jfor natural Juftice and iMorality, founded in the Deity -, for Liberty fromNecenity,and a diftributive Juftice of Rewards and Punifliments in the world.And this we conceive may fully fatisfy, concerning our general title, allthofe, who are not extremely critical or captious, at leaft as many of themas ever heard of the aftrononiical fyftems of the world ;fo that they willnot think us hereby obliged, to treat of the hierarchy of angels, and of allthe feveral fpecics of animals, vegetables, and minerals, ^c. that is, to writede omni ente, of whatibever is contained within the complexion of the univcrfe.Though the whole fcale of Entity is here alfo taken notice of-, andthe general ranks of fubftantial beings, below the Deity (or Trinity of Divine"hypoftafes) confider'd ; which yet, according to our philofophy, arebut two -, fouls of feveral degrees, (angels themfelves being included withinthat number) and body or matter ; as alfo the immortality of thofe foulsproved. Which notwithflanding is fuggefted by us, only to iatisfy fomemen's