The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easy draught of the Christian…The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easie draught of the Christian…

Reas. 4. The world also witnesseth this same, for as much as in its parts a certain perfection appeareth, which is such, as that it cannot be the first, and yet it is such as must needs be from the first perfection. Such are these perfections that use to be observed in this sentence, whereby all things are said to be made in number, weight, and measure: Where, by measure is meant the perfection that each thing hath in it self; and number that which is referred to others, ⟨p. 64⟩as to defect or excess; and weight, that of motion and inclination that all have to their own ends and uses, as well particular to themselves, as common to others and the whole.

Reas. 5. Lastly, all right reason confirms the same, because in all order of causes, and things existent, common reason brings us to one first cause, and to one first existence. Besides it implies a manifest contradiction, to conceive the world to have been eternal. For if the world was from eternity, then infinite days were before this day, and so these days are not yet ended, and consequently this day exists not, because it cannot exist but after the other days before it were ended, and gone. Also, if the world was from eternity, there was no one day of the world, before there was a thousand years of the same world, because in eternity no point or moment of time can be defined, before which there were not many thousand of years: But this is a manifest contradiction, that one year of the world that is made up of many days, should be together, at once with the first day; or that there is no day of any year before which there was not a thousand years; or lastly, that there were as many thousands of years already, as there were days in the world.

Reas. 5. Lastly, all right reason confirmes the same, because in all order of causes, and things existent, common reason brings us to one first cause, and to one first existence. Besides it implies a manifest contradiction, to conceive the world to have been eternal. For if the world was from eternity, then infinite dayes were before this day, and so these dayes are not yet ended, and consequently this day exists not, because it cannot exist but after the other dayes before it were ended, and gone. Also, if the world was from eternity, there was no one day of the world, before there was a thousand years of the same world, because in eternity no point or moment of time can be defined, before which there were not many thousand of years: But this is a manifest contradiction, that one year of the world that is made up of many dayes, should be together, at once with the first day; or that there is no day of any year before which there was not a thousand years; or lastly, that there were as many thousands of years already, as there were dayes in the world.