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gularity; the Sea would have no regard to its Shores, nor the Air be fo advantagiously placed between the Earth and the Stars, to make us partakers of their Heat and Light, which are duly qualified by that distance; the Seasons would not be fo regularly divided, nor the Body of Man formed with fo perfect a Symmetry, that Body animated with a Soul which is alone an Epitome of Wonders ; nor that Soul endowed with fuch Inclinations as induce her to be careful of her well-being and prefervation; nor those Inclinations enlightned by Reason, directing them to their proper Ends; nor that Reafon it felf filled with a natural Light, fecuring it from Miftakes, when it judges freely of Objects proposed to it. All these things, I fay, would not be difpofed in fuch a manner, were there not fome Supream Intelligence which acts in the Universe.

This is our Argument for that great Truth, which is fo much the better as it is more Natural, more exposed to the view of all forts of Perfons, and more fuitable to every one's Capacity. Now let us fee what Difficulties the Atheists urge against it.

They will first of all pretend, that as the most accurate Order and Symmetry of fome of the parts of Nature, which we think we understand the design of, encline us to acknowledge a Wifdom which governs and prefides over the World; fo likewise the little Order and Wisdom we find in fome other parts of the Universe, ought to sway us to a quite contrary Opinion. Who is there, fay they, that knows the Reafon why the Thunder makes a noise in Defert Places wholly uninhabited? Why the Hail falls

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on Rocks and

Precipices? Why the Lightning breaks off the extremity of a remote Rock? What is the defign of Infects? To what purpose are Flies, Frogs, Caterpillers, Worms that prey upon dead Carcafes in the Grave, or thofe little Animals which fuck our Blood, and are formed

Fulmina à Deo paffim cadunt, Montes irruunt, Arboribus incurrunt, fine dele&u tangunt Loca Sacra Profana, &c. Miautii Felicis octavius.

out of its Corruption?

We answer First of all, that we may reasona bly conclude from those Characters of Wisdom which we obferve in Nature, that there is a God; because then we argue from what we know. But we camot infer the contrary, that there is no Deity, from that ignorance which hinders us from acknowledging the fame Characters of Wif dom in fome other Parts of the Universe; for what is perfectly unknown to us, cannot ferve for a principle of Reasoning. He that looks upon a Watch, may rightly conclude from the connexion of its Springs and their Motion, that it is the Workmanship of fome intelligent Being; and he would argue ill, if he drew a Confequence opposite to this, from there being fome Springs in that Machin of whofe ufe he is altogether ig

norant.

Secondly, 'Tis requifite to obferve, in order to make a true difcovery of the Wisdom of the Author of Nature, that we must not defire an Account of Individuals, but only of Species, (to speak in the Language of the Philofophers.) And as in order to demonstrate the Wisdom which appears in the government of a State, we give an account of the general Constitutions of it, we fhew why Soldiers, Magiftrates, Judges and other Officers

Officers of Justice are maintained in it, without of thinking it neceffary to defcend to fuch minute particulars as the private Condition of Peter or John; fo likewife in order to our having a right Ca apprehenfion of the Wisdom of the Creator which upt appears in his Works, it is fufficient to know the general Laws of Nature, without needing to trouble our felves to account for every thing in particular.

:

In the mean time, 'tis to be observed, that the Phyfical Caufe of a thing, does not exclude the end, as those grofly imagin who pretend for Example, that the Thunder was not designed to terrifie Men, because its cause is as necessary as that of the motion of Powder and Saltpeter when set on Fire. For to argue thus, would be just as if a Man should fay, Guns were discharged without any defign, because that action has a Phyfical Caufe. If you enquire farther why 'tis neceffary, that the Thunder fhould make fuch a terrible noise I anfwer, because 'tis to be esteemed as the Voice of God, whereby he makes us reflect upon what he is, and what we our felves are. To this I might also add, that it is expedient in general, the Thunder should fometimes light in Deferts, and fometimes in Cities, to denote that God in the like manner is fometimes nearer to, and fometimes farther off of Sinners; that it is necessary there fhould be Monfters, Serpents and Venemous Creatures, to strike a terrour into Men, and make them better acquainted with the Justice of God; that the most poisonous Serpents furnish us with excellent Reme'dies; Bees fupply us with Honey; Flies and Spiders purifie the Air; Infects gather up the Corruption of the Earth; and Vermine that of the

Blood:

Blood And perhaps there is nothing more fit to reprefent to us the wretchedness of Mankind, than those very Worms which by the wife Laws of Nature are formed out of their Carcaffes in the Grave,

But Thirdly, We may more reasonably answer, that it is the highest piece of Extravagance, to affirm that fome things are made for no end at all, because we can't discover why they were made; for this would be to fuppofe that we know all things.

But Atheists may probably urge for a Second Objection, that we are ignorant of the wonderful manner in which natural Beings are produced; and were those Secrets of Nature but once revealed to us, we should not perhaps find any thing in them that would oblige us to acknowledge a firft Caufe. This is one of Hobb's Remarks, that the Vulgar deify every thing they don't understand, and fo from Ignorance comes Admiration, from Admiration, Refpect and Fear; and from Refpect and Fear, Religion. This is the Second Difficulty which is likely to be raised against the Principles we have established, which at the most is but a connexion of rash Confequences, which cannot conclude any thing. For it is not what we are ignorant of in the wonders of Nature, but what we know of them, that makes us acknowledge the Wisdom of God. We may judge of a Picture, and conclude at the fight of it, that it did not make it felf, without being deeply skilled in the rules of Painting. We are not now enquiring what we are ignorant of in the Secrets of Nature; but the Question is, whether that Knowledge we have of them is not fufficient to convince us that there is a Supream Wisdom which acts in the World.

For

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For the better clearing of which, we need only prove the Two following Truths. First, That Le Matter is not capable of Wisdom; or if it be, that it thinks and knows, and confequently is the principle to which we affix the Name of God. Secondly, That however there are many undeniable Characters of Wisdom imprinted in the whole Universe; and so far 'tis from being reEquifite, that we should have dived into the fecrets of Nature to discover this Truth, that the meanest Capacities, and a bare fimple view of Nature are sufficient to inform us of it. All agree in this point, both the Ignorant and the Learned, the Vulgar and the Philofophers. But that it may not be thought we are contented to suppose it only, 'twill not be befides our present purpose to reason a little with the Philofophers.

CHAP. V.

The confideration of the Arguments for the Existence of God, taken from the Principles of Philofophy.

I Know not by what Springs that vaft Machin

we call the Univerfe is moved; what keeps Plants alive, and from whence the Stars borroW their Light, I am ftill to learn. I am ignoranc of the Figure of those Atoms whereof Bodies are composed, and of the degrees of Motion requifite to form all the Wonders I daily meet with. I am neither of Democritus nor Cartefius his Party.

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