vidence to take care of their Deliverance, no Ark built by Order from Heaven, no Divine Warning given, nor Miracle done in their be half; how, (as fome think,) could they have fecured themselves amidst the Horrors of fo ftrange an Accident? 'Tis likewise to as little purpose to shew that fome Arts have been loft, and made room for newer Inventions; and confequently that we must not judge of the Novelty or Antiquity of our Original, by the Novelty or Antiquity of the Arts that at prefent flourish in the World. For it cannot be denied, but there are fome Arts fo neceffary to Men, that 'tis wholly impoffible, they fhould ever come to be loft, but by the total Deftruction of Mankind it felf. Writing, for Example, which is a way of Speaking to the Abfent, and of conveying our Thoughts whether we cannot go our felves, is certainly fuch an Invention as cannot be loft, unless Men fhould first lose their Reason. We may perhaps in time, ufe other things than Paper to write upon, but however we fhall always write. Now fuppofe though Ten Thousand Ages should have produced but One of thofe Arts which can never be loft by reafon of their Neceflity, muft it needs follow, that Men would have already found out Three or Four Thousand Years ago, the most exquifite Secrets and most necessary Arts? For I compare the general ftate of Humane Society, as it was then, with what it is at prefent, in regard of Arts, Sciences, Laws, Commerce, and all that follows upon the Establishment of Publick Society. I do not argue from Observations made upon fome one fingle Art, but from a general and improvement of the re different frates of prolier Detery. *Twould be a great Frody mee fnould have come in any c Commerce, or Kavranır: nst u menit. A make Long Voyages. Dm-power, 210 THEL DIE Military Invention WLICK 214 Le proud of thefe latter time:: en rette: For Five M fand Tears frotic have afforded frets even fur the difcovery of i en bunker wJar derful Secrets to 1 Eurmis foud neve been fo Earren, and Four of Five Tronien Yean it Fruitful. This is a Ferium trat ET2 1101 wholly deprived of naima, igm will never in períwaded of, CHAL CHA P. X. Wherein 'tis proved, that fuppofing Mankind to have had a beginning, it follows there must be a God. E have doubtless gone through the dif WE ficultest part of the performance alrea dy, in proving that Mankind had a beginning, higher than which, we cannot carry the Succes fion of Generations; and 'tis impoffible to suppose a Firft Man, without being immediately per fwaded, that he must have been created by the Power and Wisdom of a God. To alledge with fome, that Man was formed out of the Mud of Egypt, warmed by the SunBeams; or with others, that he sprung out of the Sea, is fo Abfurd and Chimerical a Fancy, that it scarcely deferves we should throw away one Moment upon the Confutation of it. We fhall not urge, that it is an unheard of thing, not only that fuch Beings as we are, fhould fpring from this Original, but even any of thofe Animals that Beget, and are Begotten; that if there was any fuch Production beretofore, there might be fuch again now, fince the River Nile, the Mud of Egypt, and the Sun are ftili in being; that fince fo perfect a Work as Man is, could not have been thus produced, but after infinite Trials, imperfect Effays, and defective Draughts, though we did not at prefent fee whole Men coming out of the Mud com pleatly by the Sex-Beans, have i cie pre TI the beat of that over, and the an that Mater vid is as is to fappare the tag ignorant, that water of G14, proves i gerd with Serma Cm, and has the goa hart in the production of vale: ince 'tis altogether inpofible to wean KIDE DÉ the very least Intan, mies we have recourse to a Sureum Watun rich conter 27decin, and wild by a wina Cuet ming frames that firaling vanery of ice ances Springs which go the composition of them: And this may ferre for an overs |