thofe Things which we affert are ordered by the Divine Providence. And then he enters into a long detail of Particulars of this kind, too many to be named here.

Thus Cicero, throughout whofe Works fo many paffages of this Nature occur, that it would be endless to cite them: And therefore one observation that shews what his Opinion was of the Senfe of Mankind in the Matter, fhall close what he faith, and that is in his Book de Legibus (d), where he faith, Among all the Tribes of Animals, none but Man hath any Senfe of a God; and among mankind there is no Nation fo favage and barbarous, which although ignorant of what God it ought to have, yet well knows it ought to have one.

And after the fame manner Senaca (e), who inftanceth in two Things

(d) L. I. c. 8. (e) Epift. 117.

to

to fhew the Deference we are apt to give to the general Prefumption and Confent of Mankind. One is in the Immortality of the Soul; the other is in the Existence of a Deity; which, faith he, among other Arguments we collect from the innate Opinion which all Men have of the Gods: For there is no Nation in the World fo void of Law and Morality, as not to believe but there are fome Gods. Nay, fo pofitive he is in this Matter, that in another place he exprefsly faith, They lye that fay, they believe there is no God. For although by Day they may affirm fo to thee, yet by Night they are to themfelves confcious of the contrary.

Much more could I cite out of this famous Heathen; but one Paffage, relating to the Heavens, fhall fuffice, and that is in his Difcourfe fhewing Why Evils befal good Men, Seeing there is a Divine Providence (e). (e) Quare bonis viris, &c. c. I. Q

He

He takes it for granted in this Difcourse, that there is fuch a Thing as a DIVINE POWER and PROVIDENCE governing the World; and he faith, it was needlefs for him to fhew that fo great a Work [as the World] could not ftand without fome Ruler; that fo regular Motions of the Stars could not be the Effects of a fortuitous Force, and that the Impulfes of Chance must be oftentimes difturbed and juftle: That this undisturbed Velocity, which bears the Weight of fo many Things, in the Earth and Seas; fo great a Number of heavenly Lights, both very illuftrious, and also shining by a manifeft Difpofal, must needs proceed by the Direction of fome eternal Law: That this can never be the Order of · Straggling Matter; neither is it poffible for things fortuitously and rafhly combined, to depend upon, and manifeft fo much Art. Divers of which Matters he proceeds to inftance in. Thus

Thus Cicero and Seneca: To whofe Evidences I might have added many others, particularly a great deal out of Plato (the Divine Plato, the Homer of Philofophers, as he is called by the Antients:) But it would be needlefs, as well as tedious, fince these two former have given us the Sense of Mankind, as well as their own Opinion in the matter.

CHA P. II.

GOD's Perfections demonftrated by bis Works.

AR

S GOD's Works have been fhewn to be manifest Demonstrations of his Existence; fo they are no less of his Perfections, particularly of his infinite Power, Wif dom and Goodness; inasmuch as eve

ry

Workman is known by his Work. Á Palace that fhould have nothing defective in Situation, Beauty, or Convenience, would argue the Architect to have been a Man of Sagacity, and skilful in Geometry, Arithmetick, Opticks, and all other Mathematical Sciences, ferving to make a Man a compleat Architect; yea, to have fome Judgment in Phyfick, and Natural Philofophy too. And fo

this glorious Scene of GOD's Works, the Heavens, plainly demonftrate the Workman's infinite Wisdom to contrive, his Omnipotency to make, and his infinite Goodness, in being fo. indulgent to all the Creatures, as to contrive and order all his Works for their Good. For what less than Infinite could effect all those grand Things, which I have, in this Difcourse, fhewn to be manifeft in the Heavens? What Architect could build fuch vaft Maffes, and fuch an

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