r he be anything or no, I speak not to; no more than I
would argue with pure nothing, or endeavour to convince nonentity that
it were something. If any one pretends to be so sceptical as to deny his
own existence, (for really to doubt of it is manifestly impossible,) let
him for me enjoy his beloved happiness of being nothing, until hunger or
some other pain convince him of the contrary. This, then, I think I may
take for a truth, which every one's certain knowledge assures him of,
beyond the liberty of doubting, viz. that he is SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY
EXISTS.

3. He knows also that Nothing cannot produce a Being; there ore
SOmething must have existed from Eternity.

In the next place, man knows, by an intuitive certainty, that bare
NOTHING CAN NO MORE PRODUCE ANY REAL BEING, THAN IT CAN BE EQUAL TO TWO
RIGHT ANGLES. If a man knows not that nonentity, or the absence of all
being, cannot be equal to two right angles, it is impossible he should
know any demonstration in Euclid. If, therefore, we know there is some
real being, and that nonentity cannot produce any real being, it is an
evident demonstration, that FROM ETERNITY THERE HAS BEEN SOMETHING;
since what was not from eternity had a beginning; and what had a
beginning must be produced by something else.

4. And that eternal Being must be most powerful.

Next, it is evident, that what had its being and beginning from another,
must also have all that which is in and belongs to its being from
another too. All the powers it has must be owing to and received from
the same source. This eternal source, then, of all being must also be
the source and original of all power; and so THIS ETERNAL BEING MUST BE
ALSO THE MOST POWERFUL.

5. And most knowing.

Again, a man finds in HIMSELF perception and knowledge. We have then got
one step further; and we are certain now that there is not only some
being, but some knowing, intelligent being in the world. There was a
time, then, when there was no knowing being, and when knowledge began to
be; or else there has been also A KNOWING BEING FROM ETERNITY. If it
be said, there was a time when no being had any knowledge, when that
eternal being was void of all understanding; I reply, that then it
was impossible there should ever have been any knowledge: it being as
impossible that things wholly void of knowledge, and operating blindly,
and without any perception, should produce a knowing being, as it is
impossible that a trian