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

andXXX rk PREFACEnicii'b curiofity. Ncvcrthelefs, we confefs, that this general title might wellhave been herelpaied by us, and this volume have been prefented to the reader'sview, not as a part or piece, but a whole compleat and entire thing by it felf,had it not been for two reafons j firft, our beginning with thofe three Fata!i!hi5,or l^lfe hypotheles of the /«,v//6't-?«^/ ^v/^t'w, and promifing a confutationof them all then, when we thought to have brought them within thecompafs of one volume •, fccondly, every other page's, throughout thiswhole volume, accordingly bearing the infcription of book the firft uponthe head thereof. This is therefore that, which, in the firft place, we hereapologize for, our publifhing one part or book alone by it felf, we beingfu! prized in the length thereof; whereas we had otherwife intended two morealong with it. Notwithftanding which, there is no reafon, why this volumeshould l-»e therefoie thought impcrfeft and incomplete, becaufe it hath not allthe three things at firft defigned by us ; it containing all that belongeth to itsown particular tide and fubjed-, and being in that refpeft no piece, but awhole. This indeed mutt needs beget an expeftadon of the two followingtreadfes, (efpecially in fuch as fliali have received any fatisfaftion from thisfirft,) concerning thofe two odicr Fatahfms, or falfe hypothefes mentioned ;to make up our whole Intelleilual Syftem compleat: the one to prove, thatGod is not mere arbitrary Will omnipotent, (without any eflential goodnefsand juftice) decreeing and doing all things in the world, as well evil as good ;and thereby making them alike necelTary to us ; from whence it would follow,that all good and evil moral are mere thetical, pofitive, and arbitrarythings, that is, not nature, but will : which is the defence of natural, eternalimmutable juftice, or morality. The other, that neceffity is not intrinfecalto the nature of every thing, God and all creatures, or eflential to all adtion ;but, that there is fomething £?> iy.'^v, or, that we have fome liberty, or powerover our ov.'n adlions ; which is the defence of a diftributive or retributivejuftice, difpenfing rewards and punilhments throughout the whole world.Wherefore we think fit here to advertife the reader concerning thefe, thatthough they were, and ftill are, really intended by us ; yet the compleatfinifliing and publication of them will notwithftanding depend upon manycontingencies; not only of our life and health, the latter of which, as well asthe tormer, is to us very uncertain ; but alfo of our leifure, or vacancy fromother nectflary employments.In the next place, we muft apologize alfo for the fourth chapter; inafmuchas, though, in regard of its length, it might rather be called a book,than a chapter, yet it doth not anfwer all the contents prefixed to it. Heretherefore muft we again confefs our felves furprized ; who, when we wrotethofe Contents, did not fufpeCt in the leaft, but that we fliould have fatisfiedthem all within a leflTer compafs. And our defign then was, befides anfweringthe objeftion, againft the naturality of the idea of God, from the Paganpolytheifm, (wc having then fo fit an occafion) to give fuch a further accountof the idolatry and religion of the Gentiles, as might prepare our way for adefence of Chriftianity, to be fubjoined in the dole ; it being not only a-gretable to the fcnle of ancient dodtors, but alfo exprefly declared in theScripture,