and our Practice. Nor does it in any wife ceafe to be of Weight in those Cases, because Perfons, either given to difpute, or who require things to be stated with greater Exactnefs than our Faculties appear to admit of in practical Matters, may find other Cafes in which 'tis not easy to fay, whether it be, or be not, of any Weight; or Inftances of feeming Analogies, which are really of none. It is enough to the present Purpose to observe, that this general Way of arguing is evidently natural, juft and conclufive. For there is no Man can make a Question but that the Sun will rife to morrow; and be feen, where it is seen at all, in the Figure of a Circle, and not in that of a Square,

Hence, namely from analogical Reasoning, Origen has with fingular Sagacity obferved, that he who believes the Scripture to have proceeded from Him who is the Author of Nature, may well expect to find the fame fort of Difficulties in it, as are found in the Conftitution of Nature. And in a like way of Reflexion it may be added, that he who denies the Scripture to have been from God upon Account of thefe difficulties, may, for the very

Η χρὴ μέν τοι γε τὸν ἅπαξ παραδεξάμενον τ8 κτίσανος τὸν κόσ μον είναι ταύτας τὰς γραφὰς πεπεῖς, ὅτι ὅσα περὶ τῆς κτίσεως ἀπαντὰ τοῖς ζητᾶσι τὸν περὶ αὐτῆς λόγον, ταῦτα καὶ περὶ τῶν γραφῶν. Philocal. p. 23. Ed. Cant.

fame

fame Reason, deny the World to have been formed by Him. On the other hand, if there be an Analogy or Likeness between that Syftem of Things and Dispensation of Providence, which Revelation informs us of, and that Syftem of Things and Difpenfation of Providence, which Experience together with Reason informs us of, i. e. the known Course of Nature; this is a Prefumption, that they have both the fame Author and Caufe; at least so far as to answer Objections against the former's being from God, drawn from any thing which is analogical or fimilar to what is in the latter, which is acknowledged to be from Him: for an Author of Nature is here fuppofed.

Forming our Notions of the Conftitution and Government of the World upon Reasoning, without Foundation for the Principles which we affume, whether from the Attributes of God or any thing elfe; is building a World upon Hypothefis, like Des Cartes. Forming our Ñotions upon Reasoning from Principles which are certain, but applied to Cafes to which we have no Ground to apply them, (like those who explain the Structure of the human Body, and the Nature of Diseases and Medicines from mere Mathematicks without fufficient Data ;) is an Error much a-kin to the former: fince what is affumed in order to make the Reafon

ing applicable, is Hypothefis. But it must be allowed juft, to join abftract Reasonings with the Obfervation of Facts, and argue from fuch Facts as are known, to others that are like them; from that Part of the Divine Government over intelligent Creatures which comes under our View, to that larger and more general Government over them, which is beyond it; and from what is prefent, to collect, what is likely, credible, or not incredible, will be hereafter.

This Method then of concluding and determining being practical, and what, if we will act at all, we cannot but act upon in the common Pursuits of Life; being evidently. conclufive, in various Degrees, proportionable to the Degree and Exactnefs of the whole Analogy or Likeness; and having fo great Authority for its Introduction into the Subject of Religion, even revealed Religion; my Defign is to apply it to that Subject in general, both natural and revealed: taking for proved, that there is an intelligent Author of Nature, and natural Governor of the World. For as there is no Prefumption against This prior to the Proof of it: fo it has been often proved with accumulated Evidence; from this Argument of Analogy and final Caufes; from abftract Reafonings; from the most antient Tradition and Teftimony; and from the general

Con

Confent of Mankind. Nor does it appear, fo far as I can find, to be denied, by the Generality of those who profess themselves diffatiffied with the Evidence of Religion.

As there are Some, who, instead of thus attending to what is in Fact the Conftitution of Nature, form their Notions of God's Government upon Hypothefis: fo there are Others, who indulge themselves in vain and idle Speculations, how the World might poffibly have been framed otherwife than it is; and upon Suppofition that Things might, in imagining that they should, have been difpofed and carried on after a better Model, than what appears in the present Difpofition and Conduct of them. Suppose now a Perfon of fuch a Turn of Mind, to go on with his Reveries, till he had at length fixt upon fome particular Plan of Nature, as appearing to him the best.-One shall scarce be thought guilty of Detraction against human Understanding, if one should fay, even beforehand, that the Plan which this fpeculative Perfon would fix upon, though he were the wifeft of the Sons of Men, probably would not be the very best, even according to his own Notions of beft; whether he thought That to be fo, which afforded Occafions and Motives for the Exercife of the greatest Virtue, or which was productive of the greatest Happiness, or that These two

were

were neceffarily connected, and run up into one and the fame Plan. However, it may not be amifs once for all to fee, what would be the Amount of thefe Emendations and imaginary Improvements upon the System of Nature, or how far they would mislead us. And it seems there could be no stopping, till we came to fome fuch Conclufions as thefe: That all Creatures fhould at first be made as perfect and as happy, as they were capable of ever being: That Nothing, to be fure, of Hazard or Danger should be put upon them to do; fome indolent Perfons would perhaps think Nothing at all: Or certainly, that ef fectual Care should be taken, that they should, whether neceffarily or not, yet eventually and in Fact, always do what was Right and most conducive to Happiness, which would be thought easy for infinite Power to effect; either by not giving them any Principles which would endanger their going wrong; or by laying the right Motive of Action in every Inftance before their Minds continually in fo strong a Manner, as would never fail of inducing them to act conformably to it: And that the whole Method of Government by Punishments should be rejected, as abfurd ; as an awkward round-about Method of carrying things on; nay as contrary to a principal Purpose, for which it would be supposed Creatures were made, namely Happiness.

Now,