A careful and strict enquiry into the modern prevailing notions of that freedom of…

To illustrate this Matter, let us suppose the Appearances and Images of Things in a Glass; for Instance, a reflecting Telescope to be the real Effects of heavenly Bodies (at a Distance, and out of Sight) which they resemble: If it be so, then, as these Images in the Telescope have had a past actual Existence, and it is become utterly impossible now that it should be otherwise than that they have existed; so they being the true Effects of the heavenly Bodies they resemble, this proves the existing of those heavenly Bodies to be as real, infallible, firm and necessary, as the existing of these Effects; the one being connected with, and wholly depending on the other.— Now let us suppose future Existences some Way or other ⟨p. 127⟩to have Influence back, to produce Effects before-hand, and cause exact and perfect Images of themselves in a Glass, a Thousand Years before they exist, yea, in all preceding Ages; But yet that these Images are real Effects of these future Existences, perfectly dependent on, and connected with their Cause; these Effects and Images, having already had actual Existence, rendering that Matter of their Existing perfectly firm and stable, and utterly impossible to be otherwise; this proves in like Manner as in the other Instance, that the Existence of the Things which are their Causes, is also equally sure, firm and necessary; and that it is alike impossible but that they should be, as if they had been already, as their Effects have. And if instead of Images in a Glass, we suppose the antecedent Effects to be perfect Ideas of them in the divine Mind, which have existed there from all Eternity, which are as properly Effects, as truly and properly connected with their Cause, the Case is not altered.

To illustrate this Matter, let us suppose the Appearances and Images of Things in a Glass; for Instance, a reflecting Telescope to be the real Effects of heavenly Bodies (at a Distance, and out of Sight) which they resemble: If it be so, then, as these Images in the Telescope have had a past actual Existence, and it is become utterly impossible now that it should be otherwise than that they have existed; so they being the true Effects of the heavenly Bodies they resemble, this proves the existing of those heavenly Bodies to be as real, infallible, firm and necessary, as the existing of these Effects; the one being connected with, and wholly depending on the other.— Now let us suppose future Existences some Way or other ⟨p. 127⟩