he is the first, we mean, that there was nothing before him, and that he was before all things, and that all things are by him.

II. The last End, that is, that all things refer to him; that is, the defign and aim of all things that are made, is the Illuftration of God's Glory fome way or other, and the manifeftation of his Perfections.

Secondly, For the Confirmation, I fhall briefly, according to my ufual Method, attempt it these two ways.

I. By Natural light. The Notion of a God. contains in it all poffible Perfection. Now the utmost Perfection we can imagine is, for a Being to be always of it felf, before all other Beings, and not only fo, but to be the Caufe of all other Beings; that is, that there fhould be nothing, but what derives its Being from him, and continually depends upon him; Dd 4

from

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from whence follows, that all

Vol. VII. things must refer to him, as their laft End. For every wife Agent acts with defign, and in order to an End. Now the End is that which is beft, which is moft worthy the attaining, and that is God himself. Now his Being and Perfections are already, and the best next to the existence of his Being and Perfections, is the manifeftation of them, which is called God's Glory; and this is the highest End that we can imagine, to which all the Effects of the Divine Power and Goodness, and Wisdom do refer.

And that these Titles are to be attributed to God, is not only reasonable, when it is revealed and discovered, but was difcovered by the Natural light of the heathens. Hence it was that Aristotle gives to God thofe Titles of the first Being, the first Caufe, and the first Mover; and his Mafter Plato calls God the Author, and Parent of all things, the Maker and Architect of the World,

and

and of all Creatures; the Fountain and Original of all things. Porphyry calls him TрWTOV, the first, from whence he Reasons to this fenfe, that he is the ultimate end, and that all things move towards Ged, that all motions center in him; because, faith he, it is most proper and natural for things to refer to their Original, and to refer all to him, from whom they receive all. Antoninus, the Emperour and Philofopher, fpeaking of Nature (which with the Stoicks fignified God) hath these words, which are fo very like these of the Apoftle, that they may feem to be taken from him ; ἐκ σὲ πάντα, ἐν σοὶ πάντου, εἰς o návra, Of thee are all things, in thee are all things, to thee are all things.

II. From Scripture. Hither belong all thofe places where he declares himself to be the firft, and the last, Ifa. 41. 4. Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last,

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I am he. Ifa. 43. 10. Before me Vol.VII.there was no God formed, (or as it is in the margin) there was nothing formed of God, neither shall there be after me. Ifa. 44. 6. I am the first, and I am the last, and befides me there is no God. Ifa. 48. 12, 13. I am the first, I also am the laft, my hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, my right hand hath Spread the heavens; which is as much as to fay, he made the World, and was the first Cause of all things. Rev. 1. 8. 1 am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, faith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to

come.

.

2

But more exprefly, 1 Cor. 8. 6. But to us there is but one God, the father, of whom are all things, and we by him, nuas eis auror, and we to him, and for him. Acts 17. 24. God that made the world, and all things therein. V. 25. He giv eth to all life, and breath, and all things. v. 28. In him we live, and move, and have our Bing: v. 29.

For

For as much then as we are the off-
Spring of God.

Hither we may refer thofe Texts which attribute the fame to the Second Perfon in the Trinity, as the Eternal Wisdom and Word of God, whereby all things were made, Joh. 1. 3. All things were made by him, and without him was nothing made, that was made, v. 10. And the World was made by him. I Cor. 8. 6. And one Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom are all things, and we by him. Eph. 3. 9. God, who Created all things by Jefus Chrift. Col. 1. 16. By him were all things Created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invifible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were Created by him, and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things confift. Heb. 1. 2. By whom alfo he made the Worlds. And, v. 3. Upholding all things by the word of his power.

Thirdly,

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