about trivial Matters (2), when in truth they are ingenious and noble Discoveries of the Works of GOD. And how often will many own the World in general to be a Manifeftation of the Infinite Creator, but look upon the feveral Parts thereof as only Toys and Trifles, scarce deferving their Regard? But in the foregoing (I may call it) tranfient View I have given of this lower, and moft flighted Part of the Creation, I have, I hope, abundantly made out, that all the Works of the Lord, from the moft regarded, admired, and praised, to the meanest and moft flighted, are great and glorious Works, incomparably contrived, and as admirably made, fitted up, and placed in the World. So far then are any of the Works of the LORD, (even thofe efteemed the meaneft) from deferving to be difregarded, or contemned by us (3), that on the contrary they deferve (as fhall be fhewn in the next Chapter) to be fought out, enquired after, and curiously and diligently pryed into by us; as I have fhewed the Word in the Text implies.

CHAP.

(2) Non tamen pigere debet Lectores, ea intelligere, quemadmodum ne Naturam quidem piguit ea reipfa efficere. Galen. ibid. L. 11. fin.

(3) An igitur etiam fi quemadmodum Natura hæc, & ejufmodi, fumma ratione ac providentia agere potuit, ita do nos imitari aliquando poffemus? Ego vero exiftimo multos noftrum ne id quidem poffe, neque enim artem Nature exponunt: Eo enim modo omnino eam admirarentur: Sin minus, cam faltem non vituperarent. Galen, ib. L. 10. C. 3.

(1)

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CHA P. II.

That GOD's Works ought to be enquir'd into, and that fuch Enquiries are commendable.

T

HE Creator doubtlefs did not beftow so much Curiofity, and exquifite Workmanship and Skill upon his Creatures, to be looked upon with a carelefs, incurious Eye, especially to have them flighted or contemned; but to be admired by the Rational Part of the World, to magnify his own Power, Wisdom and Goodness throughout all the World, and the Ages thereof. And therefore we may look upon it as a great Error, not to anfwer thofe Ends of the infinite Creator, but rather to oppofe and affront them. On the contrary, my Text commends GOD's Works, not only for being great, but also approves of thofe curious and ingenious Enquirers, that feek them out, or pry into them. And the more we pry into, and difcover of them, the greater and more glorious we find them to be, the more worthy of, and the more exprefly to proclaim their great Creator.

Commendable,then are the Researches, which many amongst us, have, of late Years, made into the Works of Nature, more than hath been done in fome Ages before. And therefore when we are asked, Cui Bono? To what purpofe fuch Enquiries, fuch Pains, fuch Expence? The Anfwer is eafy, It is to answer the Ends for which GOD bestowed fo much Art, Wisdom and Power about them, as well as given us Senfes to view and furvey them; and an Understanding and Curiofity to fearch into them: It is to follow and trace him, when and whither he leads us, that we may

fee

Book XI. fee and admire his Handy-work our felves, and fet it forth to others, that they may fee, admire and praise it alfo. I fhall then conclude this Inference with what Elihu recommends, Job 36. 24, 25. Remember that thou magnify his Work, which Men bebold. Every Man may fee it, Men

may behold it afar off.

CHA P. III.

That Go D's Works are manifeft to all: Whence the Unreasonableness of Infidelity.

"HE concluding Words of the preceding Chapter fuggefts a third Infefence, that the Works of GOD are fo vifible to all the World, and withal fuch manifeft Indications of the Being, and Attributes of the infinite Creator, that they plainly argue the Vilenefs and Perverfnefs of the Atheift, and leave him inexcufable. For it is a fign a Man is a wilful perverfe Atheist, that will impute fo glorious a Work, as the Creation is, to any thing, yea, a meer Nothing (as Chance is) rather than to GOD (1). 'Tis a fign the Man is wil

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9

(1) Galen having taken notice of the neat Diftribution of the Nerves to the Mufcles, and other Parts of the Face, cries out, Hac enim fortunæ funt opera! Caterum tum omnibus partibus] immitti, tantofque effe fingulos nervos ] magnitudine, quanta particula erat neceffe; haud fcio an hominum fit fobriorum ad Fortunam opificem id revocare. Alioqui quid tandem erit, quod cum Providentia & Arte efficitur? "Omnino enim hoc ei contrarium effe debet, quod Cafu ac Fortuito fit. And afterwards, Hec quidem atque ejufmodi Artis fcil. ac Sapienia opera effe dicemus, fi modo Fortune tribuenda funt quæ funt contraria; fietque jam quod in proverbiis Fluvii furfum fluent fi opera que nullum habent neque ornamentum

neque

wilfully blind, that he is under the Power of the Devil, under the Government of Prejudice, Luft, and Pailion, not right Reason, that will not difcern what every one can fee, what every Man may behold afar off, even the Exiftence and Attributes of the CREATOR from his Works. For as there is no Speech or Language where their Voice is not heard, their Line is gone out through all the Earth, and their Words to the End of the World: So all, even the barbarous Nations, that never heard of GOD, have from these his Works inferred the Exiftence of a Deity, and paid their Homages to fome Deity, although they have been under great Miftakes in their Notions and Conclufions about him. But however, this fhews how naturally and univerfally all Mankind agree, in deducing their Belief of a God from the Contemplation of his Works, or as even Epicurus himfelf, in Tully (2) faith, from a Notion that Nature it felf bath imprinted upon the Minds of Men. For, faith he, what Nation is there, or what kind of Men, that without any Teaching or Inftructions, have not a kind of Anticipation, or preconceived Notion of a Deity?

An Atheift therefore (if ever there was any fuch) may juftly be efteemed a Monster among Rational Beings; a Thing hard to be met with in the whole Tribe of Mankind; an Oppofer of all

the

neque rationem, neque modum Artis effe; contraria vero Fortuna duxerimus, &c. Galen. ubi fupra. L. II. C. 7.

(2) Primum effe Deos, quod in omnium animis, &c. And a little after, Cum enim non inftituto aliquo, aut more, aut lege fit opinio conftituta, maneatque ad unum omnium firma confenfio, intelligi neceffe eft, effe Deos, quoniam infitas eorum vel potius innatas cognitiones habemus. De quo autem omnium Natura confentit, id verum effe neceffe eft. Effe igitur Deos confitendum eft. Cicer. de Nat. Deor. L. 1. c. 16, 17.

1

the World (3); a Rebel against human Nature, and Reafon, as well as againft his GOD.

But above all, monftrous is this, or would be, in fuch as have heard of GOD, who have had the Benefit of the clear Gofpel-Revelation. And ftill more monftrous this would be, in one born and baptized in the Chriftian Church, that hath ftudied Nature, and pryed farther than others into God's Works. For fuch an one (if it be poffible, for fuch to be) to deny the Exiftence, or any of the Attributes of GOD, would be a great Argument of the Infinite Inconvenience of thofe Sins of Intemperance, Luft, and Riot, that have made the Man abandon his Reafon, his Senfes, yea, I had almoft faid his very human Nature (4), to engage him thus to deny the Being of GOD.

So alfo it is much the fame monftrous Infideli ty, at leaft betrays the fame atheistical Mind, to deny GOD's Providence, Care and Government of the World, or (which is a Spawn of the fame Epicurean Principles) to deny Final Caufes (5) in God's Works of Creation, or with the Profane in Pfal. 73. 11. to fay, How doth God know? and is

there

(2) The Atheist in denying a God, doth, as Plutarch faith, endeavour- -immobilia movere, & bellum inferre non tantum longo tempori, fed & multis hominibus, gentibus, & familiis, quas religiofus Deorum cultus, quafi divino fuore correptas, tenuit. Plutar. de Ifide.

(4) See before Note 2.

(5) Galen having fubftantially refuted the Epicurean Principles of Afclepiades, by fhewing his Ignorance in Anatomy and Philofophy, and by Demonftrating all the Caufes to be evidently in the Works of Nature, viz. Final, Efficient, Inftrumental, Material and Formal Caufes, concludes thus against his fortuitous Atoms, ex quibus intelligi poteft. Conditorem noftrum in formandis particulis unum hunc fequi fcopum, nempe ut quod melius eft eligat. Galen. de Uf. Part. L. 6. c. 13.