cible to evident defign. Animals which creep on the earth are not provided with the means which enable fome to afcend into the air, or others to float in the water. Plants again, which inhabit the colder regions, are provided with the means of enduring a tempeftuous climate; those which are to flourish in the parching defert are supplied with peculiar means of imbibing the moisture of the atmosphere, and of enduring a long ftate of aridity. In all creatures, and in all vegetables, there are provifions peculiar to the habits, the local fituation, and the purposes of each; infinitely indeed diverfified, yet all fubfervient to one grand and fimple defign, which pervades the whole of nature, and bespeaks the uniform intention of the benevolent and great Creator. All the parts contribute to a beautiful and admirable fyftem, proving, beyond all poffibility. of contradiction, the divine wifdom which animates, which directs, and which has planned the whole. There are the fame peculiar traces of skill, which we difcover in the artificial works of men of eminent ingenuity. Thus all the works of God tend to harmony and congruity of design, in the fame manner as in the fyftems of the heavenly bodies the fuperior

or fubordinate operations are governed by one law, and tend to the fame point of gravity.

But an argument has been drawn from spontaneous vitality, or, in other words, the facility by which animals of less perfect organization are increased, in favour of a fimilar procefs of formation of the more perfect. Thus the various fpecies of polypi, whether larger or microscopic, may be multiplied, like plants, by cutting or felf-dividing. This, however, is only a flight deviation of the order of nature; is at the fame time extremely limited, and subject to fixed law. It would be abfurd from hence to conclude, that more perfect animals or plants ever had such an origin; that an oak` had been produced from a mofs, or a lion from an infect.

It has often been urged against the doctrine of cafual productions, that when we view any complicated machine, we naturally conclude that it had fome contriver and maker. It has been further obferved, that should fuch a machine by accident be injured or difordered, and in this state should we again view it and find this disorder rectified, we should naturally conclude that this was the effect of fome skill similar to that by which it was at first formed.

This undoubtedly would be the inference of one who had never before seen such an instance of human contrivance. To this let it be added, that it is perfectly unnatural to imagine, that even a human artift could be indifferent to the effect of any specimen of great ingenuity which was the refult of his own contrivance. Now it is highly reasonable to infer, that the Divine Artificer is not regardless of his most admirable works. A difference does indeed exist between the art of man and the wisdom of God. Human capacity being extremely limited, the works of man are liable to many defects, and require perpetual reparation. The works of God are exquifitely formed, and we may obferve in all, that, for the period of duration to which they are destined to laft, there are principles of renovation and repair. This is evident in the human frame, which is fo conftituted by nature, that for a limited space of time it is provided with the means of prefervation and renovation. This too is evident in many species of animals, which, if by accident a limb be loft, have that lofs fupplied by the acceffion of new ones, fimilar to vegetation and, laftly, this is evident in plants, in which there is a regular provifion for restoring parts that are injured or destroyed. Here the

philofopher may affert, that God, having afforded fuch modes of renovation and supply, may leave the whole procefs of nature to go on, on those perpetuating and renovating principles, independent of any particular interpofition. But it is to be obferved, that this extraordinary provifion carries with it all the appearance of actual interpofition. For it may be asked, What are these principles? Whence is the fource of that supply? If that be not destined for perpetuity, yet it intimates a care and regard in the Creator for the work of his hand. Now care implies affection; it is an attribute of Deity; and, in proportion to the excellence of the fource, it will be more ardent and free from defect. God then cannot but be effentially benevolent; and in the proportion of the fuperiority of his perfections over every thing human, will be his love of his creatures and his creation. The best object of human affection too is virtue, the result of intellectual perfection, and therefore God cannot but love goodness in man, however imperfect in degree

it

may be. To fuppose the Almighty then not to entertain a peculiar regard for those improvements in the foul of man, which have emanated from his own fuperior excellence, is impoffible.

Could any thing less than divine intellect have adapted a flexible trunk to the ele phant, exquifitely endowed with the fenfe of feeling; an animal, whose neck is short and unbending, and purposely short to sustain such a weight of tusks? Who has endowed the camel with a stomach fufficiently capacious to contain water for a confiderable length of time, and with feet peculiarly adapted to its habits and utility in traversing immense deferts? What but wife defign could have given contractile muscles to enable reptiles to move which are deprived of feet? What but divine power and boundless wifdom could have given a rigid cornea to the eyes of fish, capable of resisting a fluid denser than the air? or an hard shell to the flothful tortoise, capable of sustaining the weight of bodies, which, by. rapidly moving over them, muft otherwise crush them? Why are the viscera of quadrupeds, which are prone, differently disposed than those of man, who is destined for an erect pofture? Why are the lungs of fish so different from other animals, and fo exactly fuited to their element? But it were endless to multiply such interrogations. The answer to all must be evident. It is divine, infallible, unerring wisdom. It is the power of an intelligent and