fuch a prodigious Mafs of Fire as the Sun is, placed in the Center, to scatter away the Darkness, and to warm and cherish us by Day; and fuch a noble Retinue of Moons and Stars, attending and affifting us by Night; when we fee this Indulgence, this Care of the CREATOR, extended to all the other Planets, and that, according to their feveral Distances, they have a proportionate provifion of the greater Number of Moons, and Saturn a ftupendious Ring befides, to fupply the Decrease of Light and Heat; who can be otherwife than amazed at fuch providential, fuch ufeful, fuch well contrived,fuch ftately Works of GOD! Who can view their Glories, and partake of their beneficial Influences, and at the fame Time not adore the Wisdom, and praise the Kindness of their CONTRĪVER and MAKER! But above all, fhould there be any found, among rational Beings, fo ftupid,

stupid, fo vile, so infatuated with their Vices, as to deny these Works to be GOD's, and afcribe them to a Neceffity of Nature, or indeed a mere Nothing, namely Chance! But fuch there are to be met with among our felves, and fome fuch the Prophet tells us of, Ifai. 5. 11, 12. Men that had fo debauched themfelves with drink, and enervated their Minds by pleafures, that they regarded not the Work of the Lord, neither confidered the Operation of his Hands. Such Perfons having led their Lives in fuch a Manner, as to wifh there was no God to call them to account, would then perfuade themselves there is none; and therefore stupidly ascribe thofe manifeft demonftrations of the infinite Power and Wisdom of GOD, to a mere Nothing, rather than to their great Author. But may we not with as good Reason, imagine a lighted Candle, a well made CuliP 4 nary

nary Fire, a flaming Beacon, or Light-house, to be the Work of Chance, and not of Man, as those. Glories of the Heavens not to be the Works of GOD? For it is very certain, that as much Wisdom, Art, and Power worthy of God, is shewn in the Lights of the Heavens; as there is in those upon Earth, worthy of Man, which none can doubt were contrived and made by Man. And if from these mean Contrivances and Works of Man, we conclude them to be the Works of Man; why not the grand, the amazing Works of the Heavens, furpaffing all the Wit and Power of Man, why not these I fay, the Works of fome Being as much fuperior to Man? According to the Argument of Chryfippus which fhall conclude this Book. If there be any Being that can effect thofe Things, which Man, although endowed with Reafon, is not able to effect; that Be

ing

ing is certainly greater, and stronger, and wifer than Man. But Man is not able to make the Heavens; therefore the Being that did make them, excels Man in Art, Counsel, Prudence and Power.

TH

BOOK

BOOK VIII.

Practical Inferences

From the foregoing

SURVE Y.

I

N the foregoing feven Books having taken a View of what prefents it felf to us in the Heavens, and feen a Scene of the greatest Grandeur, a Work well contrived, admirably adapted, and every Way full of Magnificence; all that now remains is, to endeavour to make

thefe