ACTS
XVII
.
27.
That
they
should
seek
the
Lord
,
if
haply
they
might
feel
after
him
,
and
find
him
:
though
he
be
not
far
from
every
one
of
us
;
for
in
him
we
Live
,
and
Move
,
and
have
our
Being
.
I
Have
said
enough
in
my
last
,
to
shew
the
fitness
and
pertinency
of
the
Apostle's
Discourse
to
the
Persons
he
address'd
to
:
whereby
it
sufficiently
appears
that
he
was
no
Babler
,
as
some
of
the
Athenian
Rabble
reproached
him
;
not
a
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
,
a
busie
prating
Fellow
;
as
in
another
language
they
say
Sermones
serere
,
Moses
was
learned
in
all
the
Wisdom
of
the
Aegyptians
,
so
it
is
manifest
from
this
Chapter
alone
,
if
nothing
else
had
been
now
extant
,
that
St.
Paul
was
a
great
Master
in
all
the
Learning
of
the
Greeks
.
One
thing
further
I
shall
observe
from
the
words
of
the
Text
,
before
I
enter
upon
the
Subject
which
I
proposed
;
That
it
requires
some
Industry
and
Consideration
to
find
out
the
Being
of
God
;
we
must
seek
the
Lord
,
and
feel
after
him
,
before
we
can
find
him
by
the
Light
of
Nature
.
The
search
indeed
is
not
very
tedious
,
nor
difficult
;
He
not
far
from
every
one
of
us
;
or
in
him
we
live
,
and
move
,
and
have
our
Being
.
The
Consideration
of
our
Mind
and
Understanding
,
which
is
an
incorporeal
Substance
independent
from
Matter
;
and
the
contemplation
of
our
own
Bodies
,
which
have
all
the
stamps
and
characters
of
excellent
Contrivance
;
these
alone
,
though
we
look
upon
nothing
abroad
,
do
very
easily
and
proximately
guide
us
to
the
wise
Author
of
all
things
.
But
however
,
as
we
see
from
our
Text
,
some
Thoughts
and
Meditation
are
necessary
to
it
;
and
a
man
may
possibly
be
so
stupid
,
or
wilfully
ignorant
or
perverse
,
as
not
to
have
God
in
all
his
thoughts
,
or
to
say
in
his
heart
,
There
is
none
.
And
this
being
observed
,
we
have
an
effectual
answer
to
that
Cavil
of
the
Atheists
;
who
make
it
an
objection
against
the
Being
of
God
,
that
they
do
not
discover
him
without
any
Application
,
in
spite
of
their
corrupt
Wills
and
debauch'd
Understandings
.
If
,
say
they
,
such
a
God
as
we
are
told
of
,
had
created
and
formed
us
,
surely
he
would
have
left
upon
our
Minds
a
native
and
indeleble
Inscription
of
Himself
,
whereby
we
must
needs
have
felt
him
,
even
without
seeking
,
and
believed
in
him
whether
we
would
or
no.
So
that
these
Atheists
being
conscious
to
themselves
,
that
they
are
void
of
such
Belief
,
which
(
they
say
)
if
God
was
,
would
actually
and
necessarily
be
in
them
,
do
bring
their
own
wicked
Doubting
and
Denying
of
God
,
as
Evidence
against
His
Existence
,
and
make
their
very
Infidelity
an
argument
for
it self
.
To
which
we
reply
,
That
God
hath
endu'd
Mankind
with
Powers
and
Abilities
,
which
we
call
Natural
Light
,
and
Reason
,
and
Common
Sense
;
by
the
due
use
of
which
we
cannot
miss
of
the
Discovery
of
his
Being
;
and
this
is
sufficient
.
But
as
to
any
other
original
Notion
and
Proposition
,
that
God
is
,
actually
imprinted
on
us
,
antecedently
to
all
use
of
our
Faculties
,
we
may
affirm
against
the
Atheists
,
that
the
absence
of
such
a
Notion
doth
not
give
the
least
presumption
against
the
truth
of
Religion
;
because
,
though
God
be
suppos'd
to
be
,
yet
that
Notion
distinct
from
our
Faculties
would
not
be
requisite
;
nor
is
it
pretended
to
by
Religion
.
First
,
it
would
not
be
requisite
;
because
,
without
any
such
primitive
Impression
,
we
can
easily
attain
to
the
knowledge
of
the
Deity
by
the
sole
use
of
our
Natural
Reason
.
And
again
,
such
an
Impression
would
have
render'd
the
Belief
of
a
God
irresistible
and
necessary
,
and
thereby
have
bereaved
it
of
all
that
is
good
and
acceptable
in
it
.
For
as
by
taking
away
the
Freedom
of
Human
Will
,
and
making
us
meer
Machins
under
fatal
Ties
and
Impulses
,
it
would
destroy
the
very
nature
of
Moral
Vertue
;
so
likewise
as
to
Faith
,
there
would
be
nothing
worthy
of
praise
and
recompence
in
it
,
if
there
were
left
no
possibility
of
Doubting
or
Denying
.
And
secondly
,
such
a
radical
Truth
,
that
God
is
,
springing
up
together
with
the
Essence
of
the
Soul
,
and
previous
to
all
other
Thoughts
,
is
not
pretended
to
by
Religion
.
No
such
thing
,
that
I
know
of
,
is
affirmed
or
suggested
by
the
Scriptures
.
There
are
several
Topics
there
used
against
the
Atheism
and
Idolatry
of
the
Heathens
;
such
as
the
visible
marks
of
Divine
Wisdom
and
Goodness
in
the
Works
of
the
Creation
,
the
vital
Union
of
Souls
with
Matter
,
and
the
admirable
Structure
of
animate
Bodies
,
and
the
like
.
But
if
our
Apostle
had
asserted
such
an
anticipating
Principle
engraven
upon
our
Souls
before
all
Exercise
of
Reason
;
what
did
he
talk
of
seeking
the
Lord
,
if
haply
they
might
feel
after
him
and
find
him
:
seeing
that
if
the
knowledge
of
him
was
in
that
manner
innate
and
perpetual
,
there
would
be
no
occasion
of
seeking
,
nor
any
hap
or
hazard
in
the
finding
.
Such
an
Inscription
would
be
self-evident
without
any
Ratiocination
or
Study
,
and
could
not
fail
constantly
to
exert
its
Energy
in
their
Minds
.
What
did
he
talk
of
the
Unknown
God
,
and
ignorantly
worshipping
;
when
if
such
an
Original
Signature
were
always
inherent
in
their
hearts
;
God
could
not
be
unknown
to
,
or
ignorantly
worshipp'd
by
any
?
That
primary
Proposition
would
have
been
clear
,
and
distinct
,
and
efficacious
,
and
universal
in
the
minds
of
Men.
S.
Paul
therefore
,
it
appears
,
had
no
apprehension
of
such
a
First
Notion
;
nor
made
use
of
it
for
an
argument
;
which
(
seeing
that
whosoever
hath
it
,
must
needs
know
that
he
hath
it
)
if
it
be
not
believed
before
by
the
Adversary
,
is
false
;
and
if
it
be
believed
,
is
superfluous
;
and
is
of
so
frail
and
brittle
a
texture
,
that
whereas
other
arguments
are
not
answered
by
bare
denying
without
contrary
Proof
,
the
meer
doubting
and
disbelieving
of
this
must
be
granted
to
be
ipso
facto
the
breaking
and
confuting
of
it
.
Thus
much
therefore
we
have
proved
against
the
Atheist
;
that
such
an
original
irresistible
Notion
is
neither
requisite
upon
,
supposition
of
a
Deity
,
nor
is
pretended
to
by
Religion
;
so
that
neither
the
Absence
of
it
is
any
Argument
against
the
Being
of
God
,
nor
a
supposed
false
Assertion
of
it
an
objection
against
the
Scripture
.
'T
is
enough
that
all
are
furnish'd
with
such
Natural
Powers
and
Capacities
;
that
if
they
seriously
reflect
,
if
they
seek
the
Lord
with
meditation
and
study
,
they
cannot
fail
of
finding
and
discovering
him
:
whereby
God
is
not
left
without
witness
,
but
the
Atheist
without
excuse
.
And
now
I
haste
to
the
Second
Proposition
deduced
from
the
Text
,
and
the
Argument
of
my
present
Discourse
,
That
the
organical
Structure
of
humane
Bodies
,
whereby
they
are
fitted
to
live
,
and
move
,
and
be
vitally
informed
by
the
Soul
,
is
unquestionably
the
workmanship
of
a
most
wise
,
and
powerfull
,
and
beneficent
Maker
.
First
,
'T
is
allowed
and
acknowledged
by
all
parties
,
that
the
Bodies
of
Men
and
other
Animals
are
excellently
well
fitted
for
Life
,
and
Motion
,
and
Sensation
;
and
the
several
Parts
of
them
well
adapted
and
accommodated
to
their
particular
Functions
.
The
Eye
is
very
proper
and
meet
for
seeing
,
the
Tongue
for
tasting
and
speaking
,
the
Hand
for
holding
and
lifting
,
and
ten
thousand
Operations
beside
:
and
so
for
the
inward
Parts
;
the
Lungs
are
suitable
for
Respiration
,
the
Stomach
for
Concoction
,
the
Lacteous
Vessels
for
the
Reception
of
the
Chyle
,
the
Heart
for
the
Distribution
of
the
Blood
to
all
the
parts
of
the
Body
.
This
is
matter
of
Fact
,
and
beyond
all
dispute
;
and
in
effect
is
no
more
than
to
say
,
that
Animals
are
Animals
;
for
if
they
were
depriv'd
of
these
Qualifications
,
they
could
not
be
so
.
This
therefore
is
not
the
matter
in
Question
between
us
and
the
Atheists
:
But
the
Controversie
is
here
.
We
,
when
we
consider
so
many
constituent
parts
in
the
Bodies
of
Men
,
all
admirably
compacted
into
so
noble
an
Engine
;
in
each
of
the
very
Fingers
,
for
example
,
there
are
Bones
,
and
Gristles
,
and
Ligaments
,
and
Membranes
,
and
Muscles
,
and
Tendons
,
and
Nerves
,
and
Arteries
,
and
Veins
,
and
Skin
,
and
Cuticle
,
and
Nail
;
together
with
Marrow
,
and
Fat
,
and
Blood
,
and
other
Nutritious
Juices
;
and
all
those
solid
Parts
of
a
determinate
Size
,
and
Figure
,
and
Texture
,
and
Situation
;
and
each
of
them
made
up
of
Myriads
of
little
Fibres
and
Filaments
,
not
discoverable
by
the
naked
Eye
:
I
say
,
when
we
consider
how
innumerable
parts
must
constitute
so
small
a
member
,
as
the
Finger
,
we
cannot
look
upon
it
or
the
whole
Body
,
wherein
appears
so
much
Fitness
and
Use
,
and
Subserviency
to
infinite
Functions
,
any
otherwise
than
as
the
effect
of
Contrivance
and
Skill
,
and
consequently
the
Workmanship
of
a
most
Intelligent
and
Beneficent
Being
.
And
though
now
the
Propagation
of
Mankind
is
in
a
settled
method
of
Nature
,
the
instrument
of
God
:
yet
we
affirm
that
its
first
Production
was
by
the
immediate
Power
of
the
Almighty
Author
of
Nature
:
and
that
all
succeeding
Generations
of
Men
are
the
Progeny
of
one
primitive
Couple
.
This
is
a
Religious
Man's
account
of
the
Frame
and
Origination
of
himself
.
Now
the
Atheists
agree
with
us
,
as
to
the
Fitness
of
Man's
Body
and
its
several
Parts
to
their
various
Operations
and
Functions
(
for
that
is
visible
and
past
all
contradiction
)
but
they
vehemently
impugn
,
and
horribly
dread
the
Thought
,
That
this
Usefulness
of
the
Parts
and
the
Whole
should
first
arise
from
Wisdom
and
Design
.
So
that
here
will
be
the
point
in
debate
,
and
the
subject
of
our
present
Undertaking
;
Whether
this
acknowledged
Fitness
of
Human
Bodies
must
be
attributed
,
as
we
say
,
to
a
wise
and
good
God
;
or
,
as
the
Atheists
averr
,
to
dead
,
sensless
Matter
.
They
have
contrived
several
tricks
and
methods
of
Deceit
,
dignus
Deo
vindice
Nodus
,
a
necessity
of
introducing
a
God
.
And
first
,
I
will
answer
what
Exceptions
they
can
have
against
Our
account
:
and
secondly
,
I
will
confute
all
the
Reasons
and
Explications
they
can
give
of
their
Own
.
1.
First
,
I
will
answer
what
Exceptions
they
can
have
against
Our
account
of
the
Production
of
Mankind
.
And
they
may
object
,
That
the
Body
it self
,
though
pretty
good
in
its
Kind
and
upon
Their
Hypothesis
,
nevertheless
doth
not
look
like
the
Workmanship
of
so
great
a
Master
,
as
is
pretended
by
Us
;
that
infinite
Wisdom
,
and
Goodness
,
and
Power
,
would
have
bestowed
upon
us
more
Senses
than
five
,
or
at
least
these
five
in
a
much
higher
Perfection
;
that
we
could
never
have
come
out
of
the
Hands
of
the
Almighty
,
so
subject
to
numerous
Diseases
,
so
obnoxious
to
violent
Deaths
;
and
,
at
best
,
of
such
a
short
and
transitory
Life
.
They
can
no
more
ascribe
so
sorry
an
Effect
to
an
Omniscient
Cause
,
than
some
ordinary
piece
of
Clock-work
with
a
very
few
motions
and
uses
,
and
those
continually
out
of
order
,
and
quickly
at
an
end
,
to
the
best
Artist
of
the
Age.
But
to
this
we
reply
:
First
,
as
to
the
five
Senses
,
it
would
be
rash
indeed
to
affirm
,
That
God
,
though
he
had
pleased
,
could
not
have
endued
us
with
more
.
But
thus
much
we
may
averr
,
That
though
the
Power
of
God
be
infinite
and
perfect
,
yet
the
Capacities
of
Matter
are
within
limits
and
bounds
.
Why
then
doth
the
Atheist
suspect
that
there
may
possibly
be
any
more
ways
of
Sensation
than
what
we
have
already
?
Hath
he
an
Idea
,
or
Notion
,
or
Discovery
of
any
more
?
So
far
from
that
,
that
he
cannot
make
any
addition
or
progress
in
those
very
Senses
he
hath
,
further
than
they
themselves
have
informed
him
.
He
cannot
imagine
one
new
Colour
,
or
Taste
,
or
Smell
,
beside
those
that
have
actually
fallen
under
his
respective
Senses
.
Much
less
can
he
that
is
destitute
of
an
entire
Sense
,
have
any
Idea
or
Representation
of
it
;
as
one
that
is
born
Deaf
hath
no
Notion
of
Sounds
;
or
Blind
,
of
Colours
and
Light
.
If
then
the
Atheist
can
have
no
Imagination
of
more
Senses
than
five
,
why
doth
he
suppose
that
a
Body
is
capable
of
more
?
If
we
had
double
or
triple
as
many
,
there
might
still
be
the
same
suspicion
for
a
greater
number
without
end
;
and
therefore
in
both
cases
't
is
equally
unreasonable
and
groundless
.
Secondly
,
we
affirm
,
that
our
Senses
have
that
degree
of
Perfection
which
is
most
fit
and
suitable
to
our
Estate
and
Condition
.
If
the
Eye
were
so
piercing
,
as
to
descry
even
opake
and
little
Objects
a
hundred
Leagues
off
,
it
would
do
us
little
service
;
it
would
be
terminated
by
neighbouring
Hills
and
Woods
,
or
in
the
largest
and
evenest
plain
by
the
very
Convexity
of
the
Earth
,
unless
we
could
always
inhabit
the
tops
of
Mountains
and
Cliffs
,
or
had
Wings
too
to
fly
aloft
,
when
we
had
a
mind
to
take
a
Prospect
.
And
if
mankind
had
had
Wings
(
as
perhaps
some
extravagant
Atheist
may
think
us
deficient
in
that
)
all
the
World
must
have
consented
to
clip
them
;
or
else
Human
Race
had
been
extinct
before
this
time
,
nothing
upon
that
supposition
being
safe
from
Murder
and
Rapine
.
Or
if
the
Eye
were
so
acute
,
as
to
rival
the
finest
Microscopes
,
and
to
discern
the
smallest
Hair
upon
the
leg
of
a
Gnat
,
it
would
be
a
curse
and
not
a
blessing
to
us
;
it
would
make
all
things
appear
rugged
and
deformed
;
the
most
finely
polish'd
Chrystal
would
be
uneven
and
rough
:
The
sight
of
our
own
selves
would
affright
us
:
The
smoothest
Skin
would
be
beset
all
over
with
ragged
Scales
,
and
bristly
Hairs
.
And
beside
,
we
could
not
see
at
one
view
above
what
is
now
the
space
of
an
Inch
,
and
it
would
take
a
considerable
time
to
survey
the
then
mountainous
bulk
of
our
own
Bodies
.
Such
a
Faculty
of
sight
so
disproportion'd
to
our
other
Senses
and
to
the
Objects
about
us
would
be
very
little
better
than
Blindness
it self
.
And
again
,
God
hath
furnished
us
with
Invention
and
Industry
,
so
that
by
optical
Gasses
we
can
more
than
supply
that
imaginary
defect
of
our
own
Eyes
,
and
discover
more
remote
and
minute
Bodies
with
that
assistance
than
perhaps
the
most
whimsical
Atheist
would
desire
to
do
without
it
.
So
likewise
if
our
Sence
of
Hearing
were
exalted
proportionably
to
the
former
,
what
a
miserable
condition
would
Mankind
be
in
?
What
whisper
could
be
low
enough
,
but
many
would
over-hear
it
?
What
Affairs
,
that
most
require
it
,
could
be
transacted
with
secrecy
?
and
whither
could
we
retire
from
perpetual
humming
and
buzzing
?
every
breath
of
Wind
would
incommode
and
disturb
us
:
we
should
have
no
quiet
or
sleep
in
the
silentest
nights
and
most
solitary
places
;
and
we
must
inevitably
be
stricken
Deaf
or
Dead
with
the
noise
of
a
clap
of
Thunder
.
And
the
like
inconveniences
would
follow
,
if
the
Sense
of
Feeling
was
advanced
to
such
a
degree
,
as
the
Atheist
requires
.
How
could
we
sustain
the
pressure
of
our
very
Cloaths
in
such
a
condition
;
much
less
carry
burthens
and
provide
for
conveniences
of
Life
?
We
could
not
bear
the
assault
of
an
Insect
,
or
a
Feather
,
or
a
puff
of
Air
without
pain
.
There
are
examples
now
of
wounded
persons
,
that
have
roared
for
anguish
and
torment
at
the
discharge
of
Ordnance
,
though
at
a
very
great
distance
;
what
insupportable
torture
then
should
we
be
under
upon
a
like
concussion
in
the
Air
,
when
all
the
whole
Body
would
have
the
tenderness
of
a
Wound
?
In
a
word
,
all
the
Changes
and
Emendations
that
the
Atheists
would
make
in
our
Senses
,
are
so
far
from
being
Improvements
,
that
they
would
prove
the
utter
Ruin
and
Extirpation
of
Mankind
.
But
perhaps
they
may
have
better
success
in
their
complaints
about
the
Distempers
of
the
Body
and
the
Shortness
of
Life
.
We
do
not
wonder
indeed
,
that
the
Atheist
should
lay
a
mighty
stress
upon
this
Objection
.
For
to
a
man
that
places
all
his
Happiness
in
the
Indolency
and
Pleasure
of
the
Body
,
what
can
be
more
terrible
than
Pain
or
a
Fit
of
Sickness
nothing
but
Death
alone
,
the
most
dreadfull
thing
in
the
world
.
When
an
Atheist
reflects
upon
Death
,
his
very
Hope
is
Despair
;
and
't
is
the
crown
and
top
of
his
Wishes
,
that
it
may
prove
his
utter
Dissolution
and
Destruction
.
No
question
if
an
Atheist
had
had
the
making
of
himself
,
he
would
have
framed
a
Constitution
that
could
have
kept
pace
with
his
insatiable
Lust
,
been
invincible
by
Gluttony
and
Intemperance
,
and
have
held
out
vigorous
a
thousand
years
in
a
perpetual
Debauch
.
But
we
answer
;
First
,
in
the
words
of
St.
Paul
:
Nay
but
,
O
Man
,
who
art
thou
,
that
repliest
against
God
?
shall
the
thing
formed
say
to
him
that
formed
it
,
Why
hast
thou
made
me
thus
?
We
adore
and
magnifie
his
most
holy
Name
for
his
undeserved
Mercy
towards
us
,
that
he
made
us
the
Chief
of
the
visible
Creation
;
and
freely
acquit
his
Goodness
from
any
imputation
of
Unkindness
,
that
he
has
placed
us
no
Higher
.
Secondly
,
Religion
gives
us
a
very
good
account
of
the
present
Infirmity
of
our
Bodies
.
Man
at
his
first
Origin
was
a
Vessel
of
Honour
,
when
he
came
first
out
of
the
Hands
of
the
Potter
:
endued
with
all
imaginable
Perfections
of
the
Animal
Nature
;
till
by
Disobedience
and
Sin
,
Diseases
and
Death
came
first
into
the
World
.
Thirdly
,
The
Distempers
of
the
Body
are
not
so
formidable
to
a
Religious
Man
,
as
they
are
to
an
Atheist
:
He
hath
a
quite
different
judgment
and
apprehension
about
them
:
he
is
willing
to
believe
,
that
our
present
condition
is
better
for
us
in
the
Issue
,
than
that
uninterrupted
Health
and
Security
,
that
the
Atheist
desires
;
which
would
strongly
tempt
us
to
forget
God
and
the
concerns
of
a
better
Life
.
Whereas
now
he
receives
a
Fit
of
Sickness
,
as
the
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
,
the
kind
Chastisement
and
Discipline
of
his
Heavenly
Father
,
to
wean
his
Affections
from
the
World
,
where
he
is
but
as
on
a
Journey
;
and
to
fix
his
thoughts
and
desires
on
things
above
,
where
his
Country
and
his
Dwelling
is
:
that
where
he
hath
placed
his
Treasure
and
Concerns
,
there
his
heart
may
be
also
.
Fourthly
,
Most
of
the
Distempers
that
are
incident
to
us
are
of
our
own
making
,
the
effects
of
abused
Plenty
,
and
Luxury
,
and
must
not
be
charged
upon
our
Maker
;
who
notwithstanding
out
of
the
Riches
of
his
Compassion
hath
provided
for
us
store
of
excellent
Medicines
,
to
alleviate
in
a
great
measure
those
very
Evils
which
we
bring
upon
our selves
.
And
now
we
are
come
to
the
last
objection
of
the
Atheist
,
That
Life
is
too
short
.
Alas
for
him
,
what
pity
't
is
that
he
cannot
wallow
immortally
in
his
sensual
Pleasures
!
If
his
Life
were
many
whole
Ages
longer
than
it
is
,
he
would
still
make
the
same
Complaint
,
Brevis
est
hic
fructus
homullis
.
When
this
corruptible
shall
put
on
incorruption
,
and
this
mortal
put
on
immortality
.
We
are
so
far
from
repining
at
God
,
that
he
hath
not
extended
the
period
of
our
Lives
to
the
Longaevity
of
the
Antediluvians
;
that
we
give
him
thanks
for
contracting
the
Days
of
our
Trial
,
and
receiving
us
more
maturely
into
those
Everlasting
Habitations
above
,
that
he
hath
prepared
for
us
.
And
now
that
I
have
answer'd
all
the
Atheist's
Exceptions
against
Our
account
of
the
Production
of
Mankind
,
I
come
in
the
next
place
to
examine
all
the
Reasons
and
Explications
they
can
give
of
their
own
.
The
Atheists
upon
this
occasion
are
divided
into
Sects
,
and
(
which
is
the
mark
and
character
of
Error
)
are
at
variance
and
repugnancy
with
each
other
and
with
themselves
.
Some
of
them
will
have
Mankind
to
have
been
thus
from
all
Eternity
.
But
the
rest
do
no●
approve
of
any
infinite
Successions
,
but
are
positive
for
a
beginning
;
and
they
also
are
subdivided
into
three
Parties
:
the
first
ascribe
the
Origin
of
Men
to
the
Influence
of
the
Stars
upon
some
extraordinary
Conjunction
or
Aspect
:
Others
again
reject
all
Astrology
;
and
some
of
these
mechanically
produce
Mankind
at
the
very
first
Experiment
by
the
action
of
the
Sun
upon
duly
prepared
Matter
:
but
others
are
rather
of
opinion
,
that
after
infinite
blundering
and
miscarrying
our
Bodies
at
last
happen'd
and
jump'd
into
this
Figure
by
meer
Chance
and
Accident
.
There
's
no
Atheist
in
the
World
,
that
reasons
about
his
Infidelity
(
which
God
knows
most
of
them
never
do
)
but
he
takes
one
of
these
four
Methods
.
I
will
refute
them
every
one
in
the
same
order
that
I
have
named
them
:
the
two
former
in
the
present
Discourse
,
reserving
the
others
for
another
occasion
.
1.
And
First
,
the
Opinion
of
those
Atheists
that
will
have
Mankind
and
other
Animals
to
have
subsisted
thus
eternally
in
infinite
Generations
already
past
,
will
be
found
to
be
flat
Nonsence
and
Contradiction
to
it self
,
and
repugnant
also
to
matter
of
Fact
.
First
,
it
is
contradiction
to
its
self
.
Infinite
Generations
of
Men
(
they
say
)
are
already
past
and
gone
:
but
whatsoever
is
now
past
,
was
once
actually
present
;
so
that
each
of
those
Infinite
Generations
was
once
in
its
turn
actually
present
:
therefore
all
except
One
Generation
were
once
future
and
not
in
being
,
which
destroys
the
very
supposition
:
For
either
that
One
Generation
must
it self
have
been
Infinite
,
which
is
Nonsence
;
or
it
was
the
Finite
Beginning
of
Infinite
Generations
between
it self
and
us
,
which
is
Infinity
terminated
at
both
ends
,
which
is
nonsence
as
before
.
Again
,
Infinite
past
Generations
of
Men
have
been
once
actually
present
:
therefore
there
may
be
some
one
Man
of
them
given
,
that
was
at
infinite
distance
from
us
now
:
therefore
that
man's
Son
likewise
,
suppose
forty
years
younger
than
his
Father
,
was
either
at
infinite
distance
from
us
or
at
finite
:
if
that
Son
too
was
at
infinite
distance
from
us
,
then
one
Infinite
is
longer
by
forty
years
than
another
;
which
is
absurd
:
if
at
finite
,
then
forty
years
added
to
finite
makes
it
infinite
,
which
is
as
absurd
as
the
other
.
And
again
,
The
number
of
Men
that
are
already
dead
and
gone
is
infinite
,
as
they
say
:
but
the
number
of
the
Eyes
of
those
men
must
necessarily
be
twice
as
much
as
that
of
the
men
themselves
,
and
that
of
the
Fingers
ten
times
as
much
,
and
that
of
the
Hairs
of
their
Heads
thousands
of
times
.
So
that
we
have
here
one
Infinite
number
twice
,
ten
times
,
and
thousands
of
times
as
great
as
another
,
which
is
contradiction
again
.
Thus
we
see
it
is
impossible
in
it self
,
that
any
successive
duration
should
be
actually
and
positively
infinite
,
or
have
infinite
successions
already
gone
and
past
.
Neither
can
these
Difficulties
be
applied
to
the
Eternal
Duration
of
God
Almighty
.
For
thou
we
cannot
comprehend
Eternity
and
Infinity
;
yet
we
understand
what
they
are
not
.
And
something
,
we
are
sure
,
must
have
Existed
from
all
Eternity
;
because
all
things
could
not
emerge
and
start
out
of
Nothing
.
So
that
if
this
prae-existent
Eternity
is
not
compatible
with
a
successive
Duration
,
as
we
clearly
and
distinctly
perceive
that
it
is
not
;
then
it
remains
,
that
some
Being
,
though
infinitely
above
our
finite
comprehensions
,
must
have
had
an
identical
,
invariable
Continuance
from
all
Eternity
;
which
Being
is
no
other
than
God
.
For
as
his
Nature
is
perfect
and
immutable
without
the
least
shadow
of
change
;
so
his
Eternal
Duration
is
permanent
and
indivisible
,
not
measurable
by
Time
and
Motion
,
nor
to
be
computed
by
number
of
successive
Moments
.
One
day
with
the
Lord
is
as
a
thousand
years
,
and
a
thousand
years
as
one
day
.
And
Secondly
,
this
Opinion
of
infinite
Generations
is
repugnant
likewise
to
matter
of
Fact
.
T
is
a
Truth
beyond
opposition
,
that
the
universal
Species
of
Mankind
hath
had
a
gradual
increase
,
notwithstanding
what
War
,
and
Famine
,
and
Pestilence
,
and
Floods
,
and
Conflagrations
,
and
the
Religious
Profession
of
Celibracy
,
and
other
Causes
,
may
at
certain
periods
of
time
have
interrupted
and
retarded
it
.
This
is
manifest
from
the
History
of
the
Jewish
Nation
,
2.
If
you
ask
one
of
this
Party
,
what
Evidence
he
is
able
to
produce
for
the
truth
of
his
Art
,
he
may
perhaps
offer
some
Physical
Reasons
for
a
general
influence
of
the
Stars
upon
terrestrial
bodies
:
but
as
Astrology
is
consider'd
as
a
System
of
Rules
and
Propositions
,
he
will
not
pretend
to
give
any
reason
of
it
à
priori
;
but
resolves
all
that
into
Tradition
from
the
Chaldeans
and
Aegyptians
,
who
first
learnt
it
by
long
observation
,
and
transmitted
it
down
to
Posterity
;
and
that
now
it
is
daily
confirmed
by
Events
,
which
are
experienced
to
answer
the
Predictions
.
This
is
all
that
can
be
said
for
Astrology
as
an
Art
.
So
that
the
whole
Credibility
of
this
Planetary
production
of
Mankind
must
depend
upon
Observation
.
But
are
they
able
to
shew
among
all
the
Remains
of
the
Chaldaick
Observations
for
Four
hundred
and
seventy
thousand
years
(
as
they
pretended
)
any
Tradition
of
such
a
Production
?
So
far
from
that
,
that
the
Chaldeans
believed
the
world
and
mankind
to
have
been
from
everlasting
,
which
opinion
I
have
refuted
before
.
Neither
can
the
Aegyptian
Wizards
with
their
long
Catalogue
of
Dynasties
,
and
Observations
for
innumerable
Years
,
supply
the
Atheists
with
one
instance
of
such
a
Creation
.
Where
are
the
fragments
of
Petosiris
and
Necepso
,
that
may
countenance
this
Assertion
?
I
believe
if
they
had
had
any
example
of
men
born
out
of
the
Soil
,
they
would
rather
have
ascribed
it
to
the
fruitfull
Mud
of
the
Nile
(
as
they
did
the
breeding
of
Frogs
,
Diodorus
Siculus
,
lib.
1.
c.
2.
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
,
&c.
and
Mice
,
and
Monsters
)
than
to
the
efficacy
of
Stars
.
But
with
the
leave
of
these
Fortune-tellers
did
the
Stars
do
this
feat
once
only
,
which
gave
beginning
to
Human
Race
?
or
have
they
frequently
done
so
,
and
may
do
it
again
?
If
frequently
,
why
is
not
this
Rule
deliver'd
in
Ptolemy
and
Albumasar
?
If
once
only
at
the
beginning
,
then
how
came
it
to
be
discover'd
?
Who
were
there
then
in
the
world
,
to
observe
the
Births
of
those
First
Men
,
and
calculate
their
Nativities
,
as
they
sprawl'd
out
of
Ditches
?
Those
Sons
of
Earth
were
very
wise
Children
if
they
themselves
knew
,
that
the
Stars
were
their
Fathers
.
Unless
we
are
to
imagine
,
that
they
understood
the
Planets
and
the
Zodiack
by
instinct
,
and
fell
to
drawing
Schemes
of
their
own
Horoscopes
,
in
the
same
Dust
they
sprung
out
of
?
For
my
part
I
can
have
no
great
veneration
for
Chaldaick
Antiquity
;
4.
Lucret.
lib.
5.
Vt
Babylonica
Chaldaeum
doctrina
,
&c.
Apuleius
de
Deo
Socratis
:
Seu
illa
(
Luna
)
proprio
&
perpeti
fulgore
,
ut
Chaldaei
arbitrantur
,
parte
luminis
compos
,
parte
altera
cassa
fulgoris
.
when
I
see
they
could
not
discover
in
so
many
thousand
years
,
that
the
Moon
was
an
opake
Body
,
and
received
her
Light
from
the
Sun
.
But
suppose
their
Observations
had
been
never
so
accurate
,
it
could
add
no
Authority
to
modern
Astrology
,
which
is
borrowed
from
the
Greeks
.
'T
is
well
known
that
Berosus
,
or
his
Scholars
,
new
modelled
and
adapted
the
Babylonian
Doctrines
to
the
Grecian
Mythology
.
The
supposed
Influences
of
Aries
and
Taurus
for
example
,
have
a
manifest
relation
to
the
Grecian
Stories
of
the
Ram
that
carried
Phrixus
,
and
the
Bull
that
carried
Europa
.
Now
which
of
these
is
the
Copy
,
and
which
the
Original
?
Were
the
Fables
taken
from
the
Influences
,
or
the
Influences
from
the
Fables
?
the
Poetical
Fables
,
more
ancient
than
all
Records
of
History
;
or
the
Astrological
Influences
,
that
were
not
known
to
the
Greeks
till
after
Alexander
the
Great
?
But
without
question
those
Fabulous
Tales
had
been
many
a
time
told
and
sung
to
lull
children
asleep
,
before
ever
Berosus
set
up
his
Intelligence-Office
at
Coos
.
And
the
same
may
be
said
of
all
the
other
Constellations
.
First
,
Poetry
had
filled
the
Skies
with
Asterisms
and
Histories
belong
to
them
;
and
then
Astrology
devises
the
feigned
Virtues
and
Influences
of
each
,
from
some
property
of
the
Image
,
or
allusion
to
the
Story
.
And
the
same
trifling
futility
appears
in
their
XII
Signs
of
the
Zodiack
,
and
their
mutual
Relations
and
Aspects
.
Why
no
more
Aspects
than
diametrically
opposite
,
and
such
as
make
aequlateral
figures
?
Why
are
the
Masculine
and
Feminine
,
the
Fiery
and
Airy
,
and
Watry
and
Earthly
Signs
all
placed
at
such
regular
distances
?
Were
the
Virtues
of
the
Stars
disposed
in
that
order
and
rank
,
on
purpose
only
to
make
a
pretty
Diagram
upon
Paper
?
But
the
Atheistical
Astrologer
is
doubly
pressed
with
this
absurdity
.
For
if
there
was
no
Counsel
at
the
making
of
the
world
,
how
came
the
Asterisms
of
the
same
nature
and
energies
to
be
so
harmoniously
placed
at
regular
intervals
?
And
how
could
all
the
Stars
of
one
Asterism
agree
and
conspire
together
to
constitute
an
Universal
?
Why
does
not
every
single
Star
shed
a
separate
influence
;
and
have
Aspects
with
other
Stars
of
their
own
Constellation
?
But
what
need
there
many
words
?
As
if
the
late
Discoveries
of
the
Celestial
Bodies
had
not
plainly
detected
the
imposture
of
Astrology
?
The
Planet
Saturn
is
found
to
have
a
great
Ring
that
encircles
him
,
and
three
lesser
Planets
that
move
about
him
,
as
the
Moon
doth
about
the
Earth
:
and
Jupiter
hath
four
Satellites
,
which
by
their
Interposition
between
him
and
us
make
some
hundreds
of
Eclipses
every
year
.
Now
the
whole
Tribe
of
Astrologers
,
that
never
dream'd
of
these
Planets
have
always
declared
,
that
when
Jupiter
and
Saturn
come
about
again
to
any
given
Point
,
they
exert
(
consider'd
singly
by
themselves
)
the
same
Influence
as
before
.
But
't
is
now
manifest
,
that
when
either
of
them
return
to
the
same
point
;
the
Planets
about
them
,
that
must
make
up
an
united
Influence
with
them
,
have
a
different
situation
in
respect
of
us
and
each
other
,
from
what
they
had
the
time
before
:
and
consequently
the
joint
Influence
must
be
perpetually
varied
,
and
never
be
reducible
to
any
Rules
and
Observations
.
Or
if
the
Influences
be
conveyed
hither
distinct
,
yet
sometimes
some
of
the
Little
Planets
will
eclipse
the
Great
one
at
any
given
point
;
and
therefore
intercept
and
obstruct
the
Influence
.
I
cannot
now
insist
on
many
other
Arguments
deducible
from
the
late
Improvements
of
Astronomy
;
For
if
the
Earth
be
not
the
Centre
of
the
Planetary
Motions
,
what
must
become
then
of
the
present
Astrology
,
which
is
wholly
adapted
to
that
vulgar
Hypothesis
?
And
yet
nevertheless
,
when
they
lay
under
such
wretched
mistakes
for
many
Myriads
of
Years
,
if
we
are
willing
to
believe
them
;
they
would
all
along
,
as
now
,
appeal
to
Experience
and
Event
for
the
confirmation
of
their
Doctrins
.
That
's
the
invincible
Demonstration
so
the
Verity
of
the
Science
:
And
indeed
as
to
their
Predictions
,
I
think
our
Astrologers
may
assume
to
themselves
that
infallible
Oracle
of
Tiresias
,
O
Laertiade
,
quicquid
dico
,
aut
erit
,
aut
non
.
There
's
but
a
true
and
a
false
in
any
telling
of
Fortune
;
and
a
man
that
never
hits
on
the
right
side
,
cannot
be
called
a
bad
Guesser
,
but
must
miss
out
of
design
,
and
be
notably
skilfull
at
lighting
on
the
wrong
.
And
were
there
not
formerly
as
great
pretensions
to
it
from
the
superstitious
observation
of
the
Entrails
of
Cows
,
of
the
flying
of
Vulturs
,
and
the
pecking
of
Chickens
?
Nay
,
the
old
Augurs
and
Southsayers
had
better
reason
to
profess
the
Art
of
Divining
,
than
the
modern
Astrological
Atheist
:
for
They
supposed
there
were
some
Daemons
,
that
directed
the
Indications
.
So
likewise
the
Chaldean
and
Aegyptian
Astrologers
were
much
more
excusable
than
He.
It
was
the
Religion
of
their
Countries
to
worship
the
Stars
,
as
we
know
from
unquestionable
Authority
.
They
believed
them
Ingelligent
Beings
,
and
no
other
than
very
Gods
;
De
Zabiis
&
Chaldaeis
.
Plato
in
Cratylo
.
Diodorus
,
lib.
1.
c.
2.
Eusebius
Demonst.
Evangel.
lib.
1.
c.
6.
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
〈◊〉
.
and
therefore
had
some
Reason
to
suspect
,
that
they
might
govern
Human
Affairs
.
The
Influence
of
the
Stars
was
in
their
apprehensions
no
less
than
Divine
Power
.
But
an
Atheist
,
that
believes
the
Planets
to
be
dark
,
solid
and
sensless
Bodies
,
like
the
brute
Earth
he
treads
on
;
and
the
Fixt
Stars
and
the
Sun
to
be
inanimate
Balls
of
Fire
;
what
Reasons
can
He
advance
for
the
credit
of
such
Influences
?
He
acknowledgeth
nothing
besides
Matter
and
Motion
;
so
that
all
that
he
can
conceive
to
be
transmitted
hither
from
the
Stars
,
must
needs
be
perform'd
either
by
Mechanism
or
Accident
:
either
of
which
is
wholly
unaccountable
,
and
the
latter
irreconcilable
to
any
Art
or
System
of
Science
.
But
if
both
were
allowed
the
Atheist
;
yet
as
to
any
production
of
Mankind
,
they
will
be
again
refuted
in
my
following
Discourse
.
I
can
preserve
a
due
esteem
for
some
great
Men
of
the
last
Age
,
before
the
Mechanical
Philosophy
was
revived
,
though
they
were
too
much
addicted
to
this
nugatory
Art
.
When
Occult
Quality
,
and
Sympathy
and
Antipathy
were
admitted
for
satisfactory
Explications
of
things
,
even
wise
and
vertuous
Men
might
swallow
down
any
Opinion
that
was
countenanced
by
Antiquity
.
But
at
this
time
of
day
,
when
all
the
general
powers
and
capacities
of
Matter
are
so
clearly
understood
;
he
must
be
very
ridiculous
himself
,
that
doth
not
deride
and
explode
the
antiquated
Folly
.
But
we
may
see
the
miserable
Shifts
that
some
men
are
put
to
;
when
that
which
was
first
founded
upon
,
and
afterward
supported
by
Idolatry
,
is
now
become
the
tottering
Sanctuary
of
Atheism
.
If
the
Stars
be
no
Deities
,
Astrology
is
groundless
:
and
if
the
Stars
be
Deities
,
why
is
the
Astrologer
an
Atheist
?
He
may
easily
be
no
Christian
;
and
't
is
difficult
indeed
to
be
both
at
once
:
because
,
as
I
have
said
before
,
Idolatry
is
at
the
bottom
;
and
by
submitting
Human
Actions
and
Inclinations
to
the
Influence
of
the
Stars
,
they
destroy
the
very
Essence
of
Moral
Vertue
and
the
Efficacy
of
Divine
Grace
:
FINIS
.