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NATURAL
RELIGION, ITS
USES AND
DEFECTS.
'[SEAM.
r,
generations
began
;
and
since
they
are
all
dead,
and
could not preserve themselves
out
of
their
own
original
sufficiency,
it
is
certain
they could
not
make themselves;
they
all must
depend therefore.
on some mighty
Being,
who
.has
ever
lived,
and
will
ever
live,
and
who is
the
first
Cause and Maker
of
all
things besides
himself.
Further
arguments for the being
of
a God
will
appear under
the
next particular.
2.
We
learn
by
the light
of nature
what
God
is,
viz.
that
he
is a
Spirit,
perfect
in wisdom
and
perfect
in
power, who knows all things
and can
do all things,
or
who
is
all
-wise
and
almighty.
The
amazing works
of God
in
the heavens, the
sun,
moon
and stars,
their regular
and
unerring
motions for
so
many
thousand
years,
the
progress
of
the
hours, the
changes
of
day
and
night, winter
and
summer, which
de-
pend
on these motions and
revolutions,
they
all.abun-
d.antly
discover
that
the
Maker of
them was
wise,
.and
skilful beyond
all
our
conceptions.
If
we
observe
the
operations
of
a
clock
or watch,
which
doth
but
imitate
the motions of
these
heavenly, bodies,
and point
out
-to
us
the day and the hour, and distinct seasons
;
we say,
it
is
impossible this curious engine could be
made
without
great
wisdom
and
skill in some
artificer
who
contrived
it;
and
can
we
be so
foolish
as
to imagine,
that
this
vast and
glorious
engine
of
the heavens,
with
all its
bright furni-
ture;
which makes times
and
seasons,
day
and
night,
could ever
come
into being
by
chance, or
be
made
with
outvisdorn
or
contrivance
?
The
wonderful production
of
plants, herbs, trees, and
flowers,
the astonishing operations
of
living
creatures,
and their
several
parts and powers
fitted;
for
the .proper
ends and
designs
of their
life,
discover to
us
the deep
wisdom
and
knowledge
of
the
Being
that
made them.
When
we
observe the
strange and surprizing actions
of
some animals,
of
dogs
or
foxes,
of
hen
and
chickens,
of
bees and emmets,
we
can scarce withhold ourselves from
ascribing knowledge and reason
to
them
;
and
is
it
pos,
sible
that
the
Being, which
made these active animals
should
not
have
understanding
and reason, and
that
far
superiór
to all his
creatures?
Should Mr.
Boyle,
or Sir
Isaac
Newton
descend from heaven, and begin
a
com-
plete
lecture
on this subject,
it
would
last
for
years, for-
aes,
even
to
the end
of
time;. and
every
instructive
mo-
o