/sso Arz. « * Ž-2. / - A C o N T E M P L A T I o N EXISTENCE AND PERFECTIONS or GOD, D R A W N vrou 'r H E SEVERAL PARTS CF THE VISIBLE wORLD, T H E sTRUCTURE OF THE HUMAN BODY, A N D T H E WONDERFUL POWERS OF THE SOUL : . As A N IM A GE or T H R WISDOM, PowER, AND THE INVISIBLE AND IMMORTAL NATURE OF GOD. des to sed A S A S P E C I M E N O F A B O D Y O F D I V I N I T Y, Ex E c UT E D I N T H E SA M E M A N N E R. By J O H N R Y L A N D, A. M. „s- --***** ** - o F N o R T H A M P r o N. L O N D O N : Printed for VALLAN ce and SIM Mons, No. 12o. Cheapſide. M. DCC. LXXIV. [ Price Six-pence. ] *
T H É P R E F A C E. H E ideas of exiſtence, and the ideas of a God, do not immediately appear con nećted fo clearly and inſtantly as the ideas of exiſtence, and the idea of our own being ; or fo readily as we perceive that two and two make four. But the exiſtence of God will admit of proof by making uſe of other ideas or repreſentations of the viſible things of the univerſe, whoſe agreement, with the idea of Go», is in a moment perceived by the mind in the whole proceſs of the demonſtration. * Demonſtration is an eafy proceſs of reafoning, beginning from fome plain and felf-evident truth, and regularly deſcending by a clear con nexion or chain of ideas, till you come at your concluſion. - Reaſoning is employed only about demon ftrable truths, and our intuitive and felf-evident 3. percep
iv P R E F A C E. perceptions are the ultimate foundation on which all our reafoning reſts. And in this manner we have proceeded with reſpećt to this contemplation and eaſy demon fration of the existence and perfections of God. We have made uſe of other ideas, taken from the viſible creation and the foul of man ; and the agreement of theſe ideas, with the idea of God, is inſtantly feen by every man of common fenfe, in the whole proceſs of the demonſtra tion. - And thus we may proceed, with reſpećt to all the branches of natural and revealed religion, and by beginning with clear felf-evident truths and ſimple ideas, and by advancing by eaſy fteps, produce a fatisfying and beautiful evi dence of every doctrine and duty of the chrif tian religion ; and diſplay, in a ſtriking and alluring manner, to our ingenious and pious youth, all the parts of vital holineſs and ſocial virtue : and at the fame time, the oppofite fins and vices may be painted in the moſt ugly and . diſguſtful colours, fo as to expoſe them to the hatred and feorn of every perſon that has the , leaft love for his own foul, or the loweſt de gree of defire to avoid utter ruin for both worlds. Thus
P R E F A C E. . v Thus we may diſplay, in contraſt, the horrid deformity and madneſs of Atheifm, and the beauties of true religion ; the deteſtable ugli neſs of infidelity, and the excellence of true faith ; the lovelineſs of gratitude to God, and the deformity and horrors of ingratitude. The nature, appearance, and horrid effećts of pride, as it is a reſemblance of the devil, and the beauties and happy confequences of deep hu mility. Thus we may diſplay the horrors of raſh anger, and the infernal malignity of envy and revenge, with all the lovely charms of meek neſs and patience. The infinite evil of apoſtaſy from the goſpel, with the cauſes and ruinous conſequences of fuch a dreadful temper, can never be fet in too ítrong a light, or painted in too terrible a manner. - The luxury, riot, debauchery, luft and mad nefs of the preſent age, can never be painted in colours equal to the life: our language hath no words nor powers equal to the ſubject, nor is there a language in the world ſtrong and copi ous enough for it : a new one ought to be made on purpoſe that has phraſes, images, and energies, that were never feen before: and even then the keenneſs of a Juvenal, the imaginative a 2 powers
vi P R E F A C E. powers of a Milton, the force and grandeur of a Young united, would be all too weak to uſe an eloquence and language equal to our crimes. The lukewarmneſs and hypocriſy of mulți tudes of profeſſors of chriftianity, ought to be diſplayed in the most vivid and striking man ner, to the end that the guilty may fee their own pićture, and tremble at the frightful de formity: at the fame time, a well-informed and rational zeal, remote from blind bigotry, and well purged from uncharitableneſs, and a bitter, bloody, abſurd ſpirit of perſecution ; I ſay, a well illuminated zeal for the truths and purity of the goſpel, demands and deſerves to be dif played in all its ſhining beauty and lovely colours. Never was a judicious and manly zeal for the glory of God more wanting than in ourday. - » , « • • • • , * * * * In a word, all the parts of praćtical religion, with the oppoſite fins and vices, may be treated with great advantage in ſhort difiertations, and fo as to instrućt, convince, and perſuade, at the fame time. . . . . . I will not fay that I have been able to execute a work in this manner; but this I may affirm, that I have had an hearty good will to it for twenty-nine years past. * .* - On
P R E F A C E. vii On March 16, 1745, I firſt laid down my plen of a body of divinity, including all the Principal branches of natural and revealed reli gion, and I have been working at it ever fince, fometimes with more affiduity and ſucceſs, and fometimes with lefs; but I believe few days have paſſed without ſome view to it, or pre paration for it. I began it for my own uſe, and in order to fit myſelf the better to execute the office which divine providence and grace astigned me, whatever I have met with in books, or public fermons, or converſation with wife and good men, I have feized it as my own, judging that the whole ſyſtem of truth and knowledge lies free and open to every man that has a love for it. I would wiſh to imitate the bee, who roves over all the fields and flowers, and converts to her own ufe whatever ſhe finds fit for her purpoſe: ſhe carries home her ſpoils, and works them up in her own way, without ever being accuſed of theft or injuſtice. However, as a Pagan could obſerve, that it is honeſt and grateful to acknowledge your ob ligations to all thoſe from whom you have re ceived instruction and advantage ; fo I would, with the utmoſt gratitude and pleaſure, confeſs, that even this little effay would not poſſibly - have
viii P R E F A C E. have been wrote, if I had not read Ray, Der ham, and Cambray : Mr. Martin's demonſtra tien of the exiſtence of God, eſpecially pleaſed and struck me fo much, that after reading and digeſting it, I was determined to attempt to write a more eaſy contemplation on the fame plan: any perſon of tafte, who ſhall think it worth while to compare them together, will fee that his differtation is more learned, copious, and philoſophical than mine : on the other hand, mine is adapted to the capacities of all fenſible and virtuous young perſons, and is upon the whole, beſt fuited to my defign, as a proper foundation to all my other contempla t1OT1S, Upon a review of a great variety of authors* on the existence of God, I think moſt of them too abstraćted or too prolix, to fuit the under ſtanding and tafte of our Britiſh youth. The most fimple, striking, and popular arguments, are thoſe which are drawn from the viſible - * The best authors are, 21. Dr. Cºdworth. 2. Dr. wilkins. 3. Mr. John Howe. 4. Charnock. 5. Tillo:fon. 6. Mr. Ray. 7. Dr. Bates. 3. Mr. Locke. 9. Dr. John Edwards. 1o. Dr. Bentley. 11. Dr. Clarke, zz. Dr. Derham. 13. Dr. Wlfhéart. 14. Whiston's Astronomical Prín ciples of Religion. 15. Dr. Nieuwentyte's Religious Philoſopher. 16. Cambray on the Existence of God. 17. Mr. Robert Millar. 18. wol laston. 19. Dr. Leng. 2o. Sir Richard Blackmore. 21. Dr. Ridgely. 22. Mr. Abernethy. 23. Mr. Grove. 24. Dr. Gall, 25, Dr, Cotton Mather. - - world,
P R E F A C E. ix world, the strućture of the human body, and the powers and paſſions of the foul ; theſe are adapted to the common fenfe and reaſon of all mankind, and will be found the beſt fources of evidence as long as the world endures. If any perſon of reading and tafte ſhall think it worth his while to read over this effay on God and the foul, he will eaſily perceive that I arn indebted to Mr. Grove, Mr. Hubbard, Charnock, Beattie, Dr. Waterland, Dr. Samuel Wright, Dr. Watts, Mr. Addiſon, Dr. Blair, Dr. Leng, Dr. Gill, and Dr. Young. In all my ſubſequent contemplations and de monſtrations, I have freely borrowed whatever is fit for my purpoſe from every quarter. I take a delight in acknowledging my obliga tions to many authors of the richeft genius, tafte, and piety, and rejoice in the occaſion I have to ſubſcribe to the words of the moſt amiable and excellent Rollin. “ En un mot, tout · ce qu’il y a de meilleur dans cet ouvrage n’eſt point de moi ; & que m’importe d'où il foit, pourvů qu’il ſe trouve utile à la jeuneſſe, qui eſt le ſeul but que j’ai dû me propoſer ? “ Je n’ai garde de vouloir me faire honneur des richestès d’autrui : il y auroit en cela quelque choſe {
X P R E F A C E. choſe de plus que de l’imprudence. Je fouhai terois ſeulement qu'elles puffent couvrir ma pau vreté, & que cette foule de beautés etrangeres qui ornent mon ouvrage fît oublier, ou du moins excuſer, les défauts qui me font perſonnels || .” y see Rollin's De la Maniere d'Enſeigner et d'Etudier Les Belles Lettres, tome premier, page Ioġ, P. S. The reader is defired to obſerve that the glorious diſcoveries of divine revelation are not introduced in this contemplation, becauſe we have not yet demonstrated the divine authority and inſpiration of the ſcriptures ; but have, in the preſent effay, proceeded on the principles of reaſon, though it was difficult for a man that feels the ftrongeſt veneration and love for the word of God, to re firain himſelf in this manner. Northampton, April 29, 1774. }k {XK ặğ* XK C O N
- « , ** 2 c o N T E M P L A T I o N O.N *** *- * - * * -- ExisTENCE AND PERFECTIONS or GOD. A r e r * es e N ration of G O D. O D is a ſpiritual being, the firſt cauſe of all things. . . . s - - : **** G o d is infinite being and goodneſs, in a nature that understands and ſubſiſts of itſelf. . . - G o d is infinite goodneſs, eternally fatisfied with the . perfectlove and knowledge of itſelf, and taking a com placency in itſelf by internal actings. This gives us the true idea and notion of the divine nature, antecedent to the creation of the world. Go B is a ſpiritual being, endued with abſoluteand univerſal dominion. . . - 1 G o D is the ſupreme and perfect being, upon which the existence and powers of all other beings originally and conſtantly depend. - G o d is that being, without whom, ſuch a frame or constitution of the world, ſuch a magnificent struc ture could not be for one moment. * " " ' " A " G o o *
[ 2 ] - G o D is the Creator of all things, the first and the eternal being, the greateſt, the wifeſt, and the beſt of beings, the fovereign Lord and diſpoſer of all his works. The righteous Governor of his intellećtual creatures, and the only proper objećt of their worſhip. ; : ; , ; . Dr. Watts. A D F M o N s T R A T I o N o F T H E E x I S T E N c F o Fi: G o D. There is a G o D, a fupreme and moſt perfećt be ing, and the fountain of being and perfećtion to the univerſe. | That there is a G o D, all nature cries aloud through all her works. " " ” ’ f - - - v * " - - . ' , , - --- . . . . ' ' ' . : - - - - - · · · · · - ( { * I. THE MER e Existence of MATTER; shews THE s.l.: : : r : « ExisTENċRoF GoD.:, ai i ti :) a '-'A- - ' ' ' ' .. ' , , , , , , , * AH matter is laży änd'dead, totally void of motion, utterly incapable of beginning the leaſtmotion. who aếtuates matter? whó is the beginner of motion ? Who cauſes attraction in very near distances * whỏ gives the power of repulſion when bodies exceed that dif tance ? . who cauei repulſion to begin where attrac tion ends? What is the cauſe of innumerable clastes of confiſtent hard bodies? Who has made a variety of elastic bodies ? What is the cauſe of the constant and intestant action of an attracting power, quite through the creation to the centre of the planets? And how is it that this attractive power, doth not aćt like a me- chanical power, by contact, nor according to the quantity of ſurface, but according to the folid contents - of
[ 3 ] of the attracting bodies? How if the mutual attrastiou *nd gravitation of all bodies in the univerſe was to ceaſe for one hour, what would become of the world? Where would be the globe of the earth ? where would be the planetary worlds ? Where would be the moun ; tains, the feas, and the buildings of men ? : What would become of all the cities and kingdoms of the earth ? Would you not ſee all the frame of nature diſolved, and the heavens and earth in one tremendous ruin ? - - - , " II. Do Not the vses of the Sun demonstRATE a God? . Who gave it ſuch a prodigious magnitude ? How came it into its fituation in our fystem ? Who made the matter of the fun’s body, of ſuch a fort, as to cauſe the moſt pureand imtenfe heat? Who made ita hundred times larger in diameter than our globe ? Who made it the grand fountain of light and heat to the whole world of planets, animals, metals, and men ? Who adjusted its diſtance to fuch a nicety, as to anſwer the nobleſt ends and uſes ? O man I would not your heart's blood freeze if the fun were further distant? Would not your blood boil in your veins, and your ſkin be ſcorched to parchment, were the fun nearer to our world, or made a nearer approach to man ? . How comes the fun to go fo many degrees north be yọnd the equator in the fummer ?. and ſo exactly pro ceed as far to the ſouth in the winter ? Who gave him this oblique motion to our globe ? Who cauſes his daily courſe round the world ? and his yearly cir A 2 cuit
[ 4 ] cuit in fo regular an orb, as to come round to the fama place again in 365 days ? III. THE PLANETARY woRLDs sUPPLY coNVINCING Proofs oF INFINITE AND ETERNAL PowER. Who made the parts of the planets, i. e. land and water? who made the atmoſpheres of the planets ? Who gave the planets their figure and form ? Is not a globe the moſt commodious ? Would not a large plain, or a fquare in our globe, or the planet, ruin the whole ſystem ? Doth not the ſpherical or round figure reſult from the equal and uniform attraćtion of gravity ? Is not the least planet above two thouſand miles in di ameter ? Is not the largest planet fourſcore thouſand in diameter ? Are not the ten moons in our fyſtem the effect of infinite wiſdom ? Is not the number of the planets the fruit of perfećt deſign ? What think you of the direćtion of their motion all from weſt to eaſt ? Do you imagine that their diurnal rotation round their axles follows from their annual ? No, not at all. Is not the oblique poſition of their axes moſt excellently fuited to the variety of ſeaſons ? Can you behold the different and oppoſite forces, originally impreſſed, and perpetually in aćtion, and not fee a God? Can you confider the wife and perfećt adjuſtment of theſe two forces, fo as to produce the circular motion of theſe bodies, and not fall down and adore their glorious Author ? - | IV, THE
[ 5 ] IV. THE DocTRINE of The MooNs Is A coprovs source of ARGUMENTs, To DeMoNsTRATE AN ALL-PERFECT GOD. Is it not delightful to obſerve, how theſe fecondary planets revolve about the primary ones, by the very fame laws that govern thoſe primaries ? Is not the magnitude of the moons fitted to their uſe and office ; and their diſtances from their primaries adjusted with the moſt perfećt ſkill ? Are not their laws of projećtile and centripetal force, preciſely the fame as thoſe of the fuperior planets ? How great are their uſes ! How va rious the ends of our moon, to agitate the watery worlds ; and to produce the moſt wonderous and uſeful motions, the flux and reflux of the feas, called the tides, with a thouſand various uſes befides ! Do. not you think that fome of the moons of Saturn and Jupiter are bigger than our earth ? And none are much leſs than Mercury and Mars. Are theſe the produćtions of chance and blind fortune, or the effećts of fate and neceſſity ? Are they not rather the pro dućtions of infinite wiſdom, power, and goodneſs ? V. THE CoMets LAY οPEN To oUR v IE w AMAzING scENEs oF THE οMNIPοTENCE oF GOD. What is the ſubstance of which theſe bodies confist ? Is it not of a fingular nature ? Do not you fee it fo fixed as never to be conſumed ? and yet fo volatile as to emit millions of rays of fire to your fight? What is the power by which they are moved ? Who im prested upon them their projećtile force ? Who gave them
[ 6 ] them their elliptical orbs ? Who made thoſe ellipſes fo various in their kinds and diſtances ? Is not the ve locity of their motions ſurpriſingly various ? Are not their motions when near the fun four hundred milli ons of times ſwifter than when fartheft distant from the fun ? Who made fuch a number of comets (above forty) ? How came they to have fuch different periods ? Why is one no more than ſeventy-five years, whilst others are near five hundred years in performing their revolutions ? What is the reaſon that they move in fuch different direćtions with reſpećt to one another, and to the planets; whilst all the planets and Satel lites move from weſt to east in their periodical revo lutions ? VI. THE FIxED STARs ARE INNUMERABLe de Mon - sTRATIoNs of A GOD. ' * - , - Are not all the fixed stars real funs and centres of worlds ? Do they not enlighten and warm ſyſtems of planets that revolve around theſe central fires ? What is the fun in our world but a point, when compared with the vaſt extent of the starry heavens, and the cometary field ? Suppoſe our fun was removed to ten times the diſtance from us, would it not appear a hundred times lefs ? Does not the diſtance even of the nearest fixed star, Syrius, exceed the power of calcu lation ? Suppoſe found to move at the rate of velo city of ſeven millions of miles per annum, when would it reach the neareſt fixed ſtar ? : Are not two things abſolutely neceſſary to render the fixed stars in the leaft degree viſible to us ? Is not a vaſt and pro - - - - - digious.
- - ( 7 1 đigious bulk neceſſary ? Is not a pure intenſe fire and innate light effentially needful to give us the leaſt fight of theſe immenfely distant worlds ? Who fixed their diſtance ? Who gave us faculties to view theſe remote glories of the ſkies ? - VII. THE ATMosPHERE οR AIR Is A FRUITFUE source of d e Mo N stration of a clorious * C x e A r o a. * * * *» · ·: :- - . * - Is not the air the great means of vegetable life ? Would not all trees, plants, and herbs die without air ? Do you not find then the air, the grand bafis and food of all animal life? What bird, beaſt, or fiſh, could live a few hours without air ? Air contains the nouriſhment and vital ſpirit for all living creatures. O Atheist 1. thou canft not live an hour without air! Feel thy de pendence on God and his creatures. . Is not the air the grand medium of light ? How could the fun’s rays, be tempered fuitably, and tranſmitted to us agreeably without air ? The heat would be too intenfe upon us without air. Is not the air the grand feed-plot of thunders, the fuel of lightnings, and the means of their appearance? How furprifing is the elaſticity of the air ! How amazing the ſpringineſs of its texture ! What a noble and proper medium of found ! All the fweet and melodious founds of muſic would be loſt to us without air. Could there be any rains or dews without air? No clouds could exiſt without air. No ſnows or frosts without air. Do not the winds purge the air, and prevent stagnation, putrefaction, i and death ? Is not the ait furniſhed with pure ſubtle particles,
[ 8 ] *- - particles, which are the vital ſpirit and balm of our blood, and feed the fiame of all animal life ? VIII. The Elemen r or Water evidences the UTMost wisdoM AND DESIGN. Here final cauſes pour in upon us from every quar ter, refiftlefs as the tides of the ocean; and beardown all atheistical impudence with an irrefistible torrent ! Are not the fluid particles exaćtly fuited to their uſe and ends ? Does not this fluidity of water render it a moſt proper element for whales and minnies; with all the intermediate fizes and ſpecies of fiſh ? Is not the ocean the glorious baſis of navigation, and the grand means of commerce and trade for all the nations of the globe ? Is not the fea the univerſal ciftern for rains, the grand and inexhauſtible refervoir for rivers, ſprings, and pools of water ? Does not the vast world of wa ters furniſh the principal nouriſhment to all the tribes: of plants and animals in the world ? Do we not find in the ſeas an aftoniſhing variety of curious and beau tiful vegetables, perhaps richer than any upon land ? Marine produktions, eſpecially corals, are ſtriking in fiances of the immenſe riches of creating wiſdom and goodneſs. 1 IX. THE GLope or our EARTH, IN ALL Its parrs, Proclaims AN INFINIte, powerful, AND GLo RIous GOD. . . -? . - - - * * View allits external parts. What think you of its lofty mountains; its towering hills ; its humble val - lies ? * f . "
[ 9 ] leys. See how the rocks ferve for ſprings ! the vallies for fruitfulneſs and pasturage ! How various the moulds and beds of earth ! How are the feveral foils fuited to all the purpoſes of vegetation ! Is not the ſurface of the globe the grand baſis of huſbandry, and all forts of pre cious grain ? Is it not the ground-work of all garden ing, plants, fruits, and flowers ? Does not the face of fome parts of the globe ferve for good manure to pro duce fruitfulneſs in others? is not our earth the grand mother of all our foods and all our beauteous flowers ? Survey the internal parts of our earthly ball. What various quarries of ſtone for buildings of all kinds, from the meanest cottage to the grandeſt ſtrućture ! what beds of coals for our fires ! what veins of all forts of mine rals | what various ores for metals | what stores of lead ! what beds of iron ! and what immenfe treaſures of filver and gold, which ferve us for monies for com merce, and all the ufes of civil and animal life ! and what variety of precious ſtones of various colours and amazing brilliancy | above all, what beneficence in God to furniſh us with that ineſtimable jewel the Magnet or Loadſtone, which excels, in point of worth and uſefulnefs, all the precious ſtones in the whole creation ! X. THE w HoLE VEGETABLE WoRLD DEMoN sTRATES A GO D. What an amazing number of kinds ! are there not a above fixteen thouſand ſpecies of vegetables? What do you think of the ſtrućture of a plant ? Do you not fee the wiſdom of a Deity in the make of a vegetable ? B How
[ 1o ] How beautitful is the growth of all vegetables, accord ing to the laws of nature on fluids ! how curious the the parts, the leaves, the flowers, the fruit, the feed ! How do the virtues of vegetables, for food and medi cine, proclaim the exquiſite wiſdom and beneficence of of the adorable Creator ! XI. ANIMALS, OR ANIMATED MATTER, supply MOST AMAZING PR coFs oF A GOD. The ſtrućture of animals is more complete than that of vegetables. Is not the growth of all animals an effect fuperior to that of vegetables ? Does not animal life depend on freſh food, as well as air and water ? Is not animal growth the effećt of a proper digestion, and a regular diſtribution of the nutritious particles to every part? How fuitable are the provifons for every kind of animals | How nicely and well adjusted their apparatus to receive and digeſt their food ? See the mouth to re ceive ! the teeth to chew | the tongue to affift in chew ing ! the gullet to tranſmit to the bowels ! the sto mach to digit ! the intestines to strain off, by means of the laćteals | mark the progreſs of the chyle into the blood ! ſee the colour and texture of this grand ſtream of life ! how delicate the fi ſtem of the nerves for feel ing! how divine the strućture of the eyes ! how accu rately formed are the ears for found i how exaćt the noſtrils ! and what a rich filver cord is the fpinal mar row ! Is not the prone posture of quadrupedes the moſt fuited to their food and manner of life ? is not their motion on all four admirable ? are not the forms of their bodies amazingly various ? yet is not every diffe I CIlt
[ 1 1 ] rent ſpecies beautiful in its kind ? See the various cloathing of animals ! are they not fuited to their dwel lings and ſtations in the creation ? is not their natural armiture truly exprestive of wife deſign and perfect con trivance in its almighty Author ? Obferve their grand governing principle which directs and animates all their motions and purſuits ! Is not the fupreme law of inſtinét a more uniform and infallible guide to beasts, than reaſon to man ? Who has impreſſed this law on all animals ? and taught them to purſue invariably, and attain their ends, and perfection of their being, without forethought or deſign ? who but a God can di rećt theſe creatures to attain their proper end without any knowledge or rational intention ? XII. THE NATURE OF BIRD's FURNISH Es IRRE sISTIBLE ARGUMENTs oF THE w IsDoM oF GOD. View their head; how adapted for flying ' admire their various beaks and eyes ! What do you think of their manner of motion ? What do you judge of their power of flying through the air ? are not the variety of their movements in the atmoſphere wonderful ? How well fitted are their wings and muſcles for flight, and how fuited are their claws to feize their prey, or defend their lives ! what art in their neſt ! what beauty in their eggs ! how patient and conſtant in hatching their young! how ſtrong and violent their natural love to their offspring! how beautiful and grand are their plu mage or feathers ! how ſurprifing are their journies or travels, for thouſands of miles, without chart or compaſs ! - - B 2 XIII.
[ 12 ] XIII. THE NATURE oF FISHEs Is A MANIFOLD DEMONSTRATION oF A GOD. Conſider their habitation, the larger and the leffer waters. Is not the watery world fuited to their nature and genius, and their conſtitution and capacity admi rably adapted to the fluid element? is not the aćtion of ſwimming wonderful ? are they not provided with a proper apparatus for ſwimming ? do you not obſerve how their bodies, their heads, their fins, their bladders are all fuited to this purpoſe? How keen and quick is their fight ! Does not this ſupply their want of ears ? are they not totally destitute of ears and lungs ? But do not their quick eyes ſupply the want of ears ? and do not their gills fully fupply their want of lungs ? How well fitted up are theſe gills, by which they live and breathe ! how delicate their covering ! what ex quiſite art and beauty in the texture and colour of their fcales ! how free their motions ! how nimbly they cut the water ! and how fitly are many claſſes furniſhed with arms for defence ! what an amazing beauty in the fhell fiſh ! what an endleſs variety in the forms ! what garniture ! what brilliancy and profuſion of ornament on their fhells | what amazing curiofity and neatneſs of work ! and what a fhining proof of the exuberant goodneſs and artifice of GoD ! - XIV. THE NATURE oF INsects FURNISHEs A PROLIX AND PATHETIc LecTURE ON GOD. Is not the infećt world the most grand and amazing part of the creation ? How numerous are the ſpecies ! - The.
[ 13 j The moſt numerous fpecies of all the animal creation. Ray thinks 2o,ooo kinds. He found near 2ookinds near Braintree in Effex. And how various their manner of life ! how curious the ſhape of their bodies ! how great the number of their parts ! what ſurprizing minute nefs ! and how delicate the finery of their drefs! what glowing colours! what curious carving! what rich embroidery ! what nice enamelling ! what ſplendor of gold and filver ! what diamonds, pearls, and all man ner of precious ſtones, garniſh their cloathing ! what fcarlet, blue, green, yellow, violet, of the richest dyes ! here is fcarlet in-grain, ſky-blue, Saxon-green, and every other colour and ornament ! what lady’s dreſs, what monarch's robe, can compare with the beauties of an infećt ? How keen their fenfations ! how piercing their fagacity ! how fwift their motions ! how quick the vibrations of their wings! what amazing transformations do they undergo ! ſee their egg ! the worm or maggot produced ! their ſtate offeeming death or inaćtion in an enamelled cafe ! How rich are the cloaths of an infećt-fly in its glory and perfećtion ! what an affemblage of jewels are ſtudded on the backs and wings! what an aftoniſhing profuſion of orna ments ! gold, and pearls, azure, green, and vermillion, of the richest dyes ! do they not outvie the grandest lady, or the richeſt monarch in the world ? XV. REPTILES AND SERPENTS DE MoNsTRATE THE ALL-wIsE GOD. Are not their forms various ? is not the motion of fome kinds by legs and feet ? of others by feet without legs ?
[ 14 ] legs ? do not others creep in a worm-like manner with out legs or feet ? are not the movements of the Centi pee, or hundred feet, moſt ſtupendous ! What confent in all the motions of theſe numerous feet ? What doſt thou think of the ferpent kind ? the manner of their life, and their various food ? How wife the contrivance of God’s providence in affigning their proper dwel lings, and preventing their hurting his noble creature man ! how amazing are the forethoughts of God ! his attention to his offspring man appears in the formation of that voracious reptile the Crocodile. XVI. THE NATURE AND FoRM oF MAN woN DER FULLY PRοv Es THE EXISTENcE, PER FEcT1oNs, AND PRov IDENCE oF THE Most PowERFUL. AND GLORIous G O D. . Confider the parts and strućture of his body! Is not the body of man the nobleft piece of animal mechaniſm poſſible in nature ? does it not really tranſcend the power and thought of man to imagine any form for ftrućture more perfećt, more elegant, more grand and commodious ? What do you judge of man's erećt pof ture ? his beauteous ſhape? his proper ſtature ? the ftructure and accuracy of its parts? the fitneſs of every part to its office and end ? How marvellous the harmo ny and conſent of every member to the whole frame ! what ſparkling brightneſs in the eyes ! what ſweet melody in the voice! how quick the ears to receive all manner of founds ! how nicely adjuſted are the palate and tafte to all forts of foods ! what an noble inſtru ment is the tongue ! Hence ſpeech and eloquence, - oratory
[ 15 ] oratory and perfuaſion. What wonders appear in the hand ofman ! its formation, and its aftoniſhing variety of uſes ! what majeſty in the face ! how immenfely va rious are countenances of men | what an endleſs dif ference in the voices and hand-writing of men ! : What a ſtriking proof of GoP in the foul of man ! How much of GoD appears here ! what an amazing and irrefiſtible evidence of GoD is diſcovered in a foul ! The foul of man is a ſhining argument to demonſtrate the being and preſence of an infinite GoD. The powers of man’s mind fhew him to be almost a divine exiſtence. He thinks–he is conſcious of inter nal aćts–he forms ideas of all things-he reafons on his thoughts-he perceives an infinite variety of ob jećts–he reflećts on theſe images of things in his mind-he recollećts his thoughts, and furveys their agreement with objećts, and their diference from each other–he brings all paſt ages and time preſent to his mind, and views the tranfaćtions of men, and revo lutions of empires for thouſands of years–he can re collećt a thouſand, ten thouſands, a million faćts at once–he makes them paſs in a quick ſucceſſion be fore the eyes of his mind-he marks the different na ture and tendency of men's aćtions-fees how one kind have a direct influence upon his peace and happineſs, while others iſſue in ruin, devaſtation and death. He commands the future time to the preſent view of his vaſt and mighty mind ; looks into future years and ages ; foretells the confequences of aćtions to indivi duals, and to the focieties of men; penetrates the dark veil of future ages, and dives into the conditions of the human
[ 16 ] human nature forten thouſand years to come, yea for ten thoufand millions in hell and heaven. He purſues a mental tour round the earth, and ran ges in his thoughts all over the ſkies ; he roves from planet to planet, from fun to fun, from world to world, almoſt to infinity! he views one ſystem of worlds af ter another with infinite ſpeed and velocity; and after all can form in his imagination, and graſp in his thoughts, millions of worlds more than ever existed. He fees the eternal difference between moral good and evi ; and in ſpite of pride, in fpite of hell, is forced to confeſs the beauty of the one, and the deformity of the other; the diſtributive conſequences of vice, and the infinite advantages and tranſcendent joys of virtue. - He feels in his frame a facial principle ; and in ſpite of all his felfiſhneſs he cannot but love fociety. He sties from folitude, and delights in the converſe of his fellow men. In fociety we attain the utmoſt diſtinétion of our nature. We give free ſcope to our reafoning pow ers, and arrive at the full perfećtion of our moſt excel lent paſſions and facuļties. Ever preſent and ever aćtive God! thou fillest all worlds with thy preſence, and thine energy works quite through all the ſyſtems which thy hands have formed; the infinitely aćtive force of thy will pene trates our globe, and all the planets to their very cen tres. The original laws of the univerſe have no influ ence ſeparated from thy prefence and almighty power. Thine energy, O GoD ! penetrates every moment to the very centre of the fun, and all his blazing beams and glories are borrowed from thy fuperior radiance. Thine
[ 17 ] Thine inceſſant and immenfe fulneſs feeds his fires, and maintains him in his full ſplendor, without decay. His univerfal influence is but a feeble reſemblance of thine omnipreſence and inexhauſted beneficence ! The planetary Worlds are fufpended by thy ever preſent agency in univerſal ſpace-their oppofite, but uſeful forces, are impreſſed upon them by thy hand ; they perform their ſtated revolutions with the utmoft punctuality to a moment, under the inſpećtion and guidance of thy perfećt wiſdom and unerring ſkill. The fixed ſtars, thoſe effential flames, and centres of worlds inumerable, were all produced by the infinite ac tivityofthywill, and thine immenfely fruitfulgoodneſs; their prodigious and unmeaſurable bulk is the production of thy power; and their innate fires, and immaculate brightnefs, are derived from that GoD who is purer than the unſtained light, and brighter than ten thou fand funs. Thou art light, and in thee, O my God, there is no darkneſs at all ! - - How great is, the refemblance of the human foul to GoD ! - o : Thine exiſtence and omnipreſent agency is clearly feen in the human foul. The exiſtence of the foul ! proclaims the existence of God. The inviſibility of the foul demonstrates the inviſible GoD. The vaſt ftretch of our thoughts and imaginations evinces thine omnipreſence–the incorruptibility of the foul pro claims the immortality of God—the vastneſs of our defires evincesthine eternity and immenſe goodneſs—the vigorous and keen perceptions and foreknowledge of •ur fouls, declare the infinite preſcience, forethought, C - knowledge,* *
[ 18 ] knowledge, and wiſdom of GoD–the native benevolence of a foul evinces the unbounded generofity of the Deity, and the conſcioufneſs of ſhame and pain when we think a bad thought, or do a mean or bad action, evinces thine effential juſtice. The dominion of the foul over the body repreſents the dominion of God over the world. The prudence and forethought of man to provide against future wants and dangers, declare GoD’s univerſal and aćtual providence. Great God! what a lively image is a human ſpirit of thine effential glories and perfećtions ! NATURAL DUTIEs To GOD THE FoUNTAIN OF THE UNIVERSE, 1. ADMIRATION oF GOD. Admiration is that ſudden furprize at the novelty and grandeur of an objećt, by which the foul is faſtened down to the contemplation of it. It is a fenſible, agreeable, and reſpećtful emotion of the foul arifing from the fight of a new or grand objećt, fuited to ex cite that commotion. - Religion itſelf is in a great meaſure bred by admira tion ; for what is it imprints on the mind that belief and reverence of a divine Being, but an admiring view of his works ? All things are full of God. The creation is nothing elfe but a maſs of wonders; all proclaiming the wiſdom of the Deity in forming them, and the wif dom of man in adoring him upon that account. With how much reafon does Adam, from the contemplation of the furprizing ſcene around him, riſe to noble ac knowledgment and veneration of the boundleſs perfec tien of the great Creator ! Thefe
[ 19 ] “ Theſe are thy glorious works, Parent of good ! ** Almighty ! thine this univerſal frame; “ Thus, wond'rous fair; thyfelfhow wond’rous then ! . ' “ Unſpeakable ! who fitt'ſt above theſe heavens, “ To us inviſible, or dimly feen “ In theſe thy loweſt works; yet thefe declare ** Thy goodneſs beyond thought, and power divine.” Parad. Loft, Book V. 152. 2. Love To GOD. Love is the gravitation or weight of the foul towards good, arifing from a fenfe and perception of that good, and its fuitableneſs to give us pleaſure, or its agreement with its faculties and tafte. Efteem is a ſimple thought that the objećt is beautiful, and fit to do us good. De fire is a ſimple tendency or bearing of the heart towards good. Defire being a moſt vigorous and ſprightly prin ciple, is the original of diligence and aćtivity. All the powers of nature without this would be afleep, and the moſt charming objećts be unable to provoke us to pur fue them. The motion of the heart, in ſtrong defires is extremely vehement, and from the heart great forces of ſpirits are detached to the feveral members of the body, which diſpoſe a man for aćtion, and give a briſk neſs and chearfulnefs to his endeavors when the objećt is abſent : benevolence is the wiſhing the good deſired to fome being or other, who is capable of receiving that good. Love to GoD includes a clear knowledge of his fitneſs to do us good–a lively fenfe of a deep intereſt in his love–a free fixed inclination of the will towards him-an intenſe emotion of the heart after him-an C 2 union
[ 26 ] union of all our powers in his ſervice-anda reſting of the will in him, conſidered as the chiefest good. 3. VENERATION AND FEAR oF GOD. Veneration is an esteem of fome free agent, as in a capacity of being beneficial or hurtful to us, joined with a defire of ſubjećting ourſelves to him. The Veneration of God's name confists in this; that we religiouſly forbear the trifling and difhonorable uſe of his name, and uſe it feriouſly and reverently, as of en as we do fo at all, that is, fo far as postible with an aćtual fenfe of GoD upon our minds, and always with that gravity and compoſure in our words and behavior, which is a known token of reverence, and proper to in timate our real perfuaſion of heart, and inward fenfe of the being, prefence, and excellence of God, as well as with an intention to promote this deep fenfe of GoD in ourſelves and others. And thefe exprestions and inten tions muſt bear a proportion to the occaſion and cir cumftances wherein the venerable name of God is uſed. Fear of God is a lively fenfe of God’s infinite capa city to communicate to us the greateſt good and happi nefs, or instiċi upon us the moſt terrible and lasting evils and mifery ; fear is a painful apprehenſion of danger. Fear is an uneafineſs of the mind upon the thoughts of future evil likely to befal us. Fear in general is that paffion of our nature, whereby we are excited to provide for our fecurity upon the approach of evil. Gor, ſeems to have intimated the uſe of this pastion in every motion of our natural fears. Our natural fears are either fudden or deliberate: the fudden arę fuch as - - come ----
[ 21 ] eome upon us ſurpriſingly and without delibération. But how unreaſonable foever, they carry a moſt reaſona ble admonition along with them, and upon each of their furpristing motions feem to whiſper: “ Thus it is that man ought to fear God.” Our deliberate and juſt fears are . juſt to the fame intimation, and in each of their motions point out God to the firſt glances of our reafoning: For if it be reaſonable to fear want, how much more reafonable is it to fear Him whoſe bounty is the fountain of all our ſupplies ! - - - { - Reverence, as it is the diſpoſition of rational, but at the fame time frai' and finful creatures, towards the fupreme all-perfect Creator, is made up of eſteem and . fear; of the most exalted esteem of his infinite excellen cies, and a deep fenfe of our own meanneſs and finfulnefs, compared with his majeſty and purity ; a fear of incurr ing his diſpleaſure by an unſuitable temper and condu&t: and when we have done it, fuch a ſtrong apprehenſion of the evil of offending him, as ſuffers us not to be eaſy. till we feel repentance, and reſolve on a better condućt. - Repentance is an inward forrow for our paſt bad temper and condućt, and a return to the praćtice of virtue and obedience for the future ; being fully per fuaded that GoD will determine our final ſtate accord ing to our prevailing temper, whether good or bad. 4. TRUST AND DEPENDENce oN GOD. Dependence is a feeling fenfe and convićtion, that we are at the difpofal and direćtion of GoD, and ſubjećt to change for the better or the worſe at his pleaſure : or it
* [ 22 ] it is a deep eonviction that all good is from Gop, and all our happineſs in his power. To truſtin any perſon or intelligent agent is to expect good from his benevolence or kind affećtions. In order to which, there muſt not only be a perfuaſion of his good diſpoſitions, but of his all-fufficient power. Truſt confifts in a chearful hope of being provided for and made happy by God in a way of well doing, and a firm confidence in his unfailing power, wiſdom, and goodneſs, and his perfectly wife and good govern ment. The expećtation of the performance of our defire, is that we call dependence upon God for help and affist 211CC. 5. RESIGNAT Ion To GOD. A ready ſubmistion to the will of God, and a chear ful reſignation to his diſpenſations, are other branches of a religious temper, fpringing from the fame root. As the will of God is the will of him who gave us our being, all our powers of aćtion, and faculties of enjoy ment, the world, and every good thing we pofiefs, it is plain he has a right to direćt the exercife of what is properly his own; and we are, both by justice and gra titude, bound to obey him, in the praćtice of whatever, by our reafon, or any other way, he fhews us to be his will. The will of God is the will of the wifest and moſt benevolent being. - 6. WoRsHIP AND PRAISE oF G O D. Religious worſhip is an acknowledgment, venera tion, and love of all God’s infinitee xcellencies and per fećtions,
[ 23 ] feếtions, according to the divine will and appoint ment, and not according to the will and fancy of the worſhipper. Worſhip is an aćt of the underſtanding and will, an a&t of the foul applying itſelf to the knowledge of the excellence of God and aćtual thoughts of his glorious majesty, recollecting, with the utmoſt venera tion and delight, his tranſcendent attributes, as the fu preme Lord and Governor of the world; which is na tural knowledge : beholding the glory of his perfec ions, as the generous Benefaćtor and Judge of the whole creation. Natural worſhip is an acknowledgment or exprestion of the veneration, honor, and esteem, which are due to GoD, and that on account of the infinite perfećtions of his nature, which are the only foundation for it. The relation we ſtand in to him, with our dependence upon him, receipts and expećtations from him, are the motives and obligations to it. Praiſe confiſts in an ex preſſion of our inward fenfe of the infinite propenſity of God’s nature to make us happy with delight. By conferring on us all thoſe bleffings that are fuited to refine and ennoble our natures, and raife us to the higheſt pitch of perfećtion and felicity. 7. ZEAL For THE GLory or GOD As THE ULTI MATE END oF o UR FxISTENCE. Zeal is a mixed paffion compoſed of grief and an ger, and fervent love and defire; for what a man loves earnestly he is careful to fee it honored, and grieved when it is difhonored. It is an eagerneſs in purſuing good things, when the end and manner of aćting is good. Zeal
[ 24 ] Zeal conſiſts in a juſt and deep regard to the nature and character and glories of God, felt in the heart, and ſhewn in the uniform tenor of our words and aćtions. Zeal will prompt us to confefs all the fins we have committed, and take ſhame to ourſelves for all our de viations from the rećtitude and beauty and goodneſs of God and the rules of virtue. To delight in the beau ty and goodneſs of God above all things, eſteeming him above all treaſures and pleaſures, committing all our cares and concernments both of life and death into his hands. Fervent zeal will excite us to defend the honor of his perfećtions, when they are denied or de graded by the tongues or the aćtions of Atheiſts and Rebels, Deiſts and Socinians, who fet themſelves againſt him. Zeal will farther ſtimulate us to improve all our ta lents of nature and ſcience, of power and wealth, of reputation and intereſt, for God's honor; producing the fruits of light, truth, and virtue, in proportion to the excellencies of our faculties, and the advantages we enjoy. True zeal will lead us farther to honor God by humi lity, deep humility, in acknowledging our infinite dif tance from him, our guiltineſs before him, and depen dence upon him, by thankfulneſs in fetting a due va lue on all God’s blestings of nature and providence, ex presting a deep fenfe of the worth of health, wealth, and wiſdom; by chearfulnefs before God, recommending the the pleaſure of his fervice as most agreeable to our fa culties, moſt fuited to our taste, and moſt happily promotive of our noblet interest ; avowing, in the face
[ 25 ] face of the whole world, that all God’s paths are full of rational and folid fatisfaćtion, and that we are fo far from repenting of our obedience to his order and con ftitution, that we regard it as the higheſt advancement of our natures, and confider the initation of his fu preme and effential goodneſs as our utmoſt delight and glory.
[ 26 ] A ’ - S U P P L E M E N T T O T H E C O N T E M P L A T I O N O N T H E EXISTENCE AND PERFECTION S o F G O D. S the foul of man is a moſt glorious evidence of the exiſtence and attributes of God, it will be inſtru&tive and uſeful to enter into farther views and confiderations on the nature, powers, affećtions, qualities, and immortality of the foul. Theſe views will enlarge our profpećts of the wonderful perfećtions of God, and diſpoſe us to pay a greater attention to the neceſity and excellence of divine revelation. A REPRESENTATIοN OF THE Soul, In its efence, its powers, its affećtions, in its moral qualitics, in its reſemblance to God, its immortality. The foul of man, confidered as a fpiritual being, is a most fimple and immutable effence, having no kind of compoſition in its nature, and incapable of being changed in its ſubſtance. Its
( 27 ] , Its effence is void of all matter, having no ſolid ex tenſion or diviſibility of parts ; it is effential to the nature of the foul to be aćtive. Life, power, and thought, are the very nature and effence of the foul. The life of the foul is its ſtate of aćtive rational exiſtence. * ** In its powers, as a rational ſpirit, we may confider its underſtanding; hence knowledge or ſcience: we confider its will or ſelf determining power ; hence the amazing dominion of the will over the body and its various aćtions. . - In its affećtions or ſenſible commotions arifing from the perception of objećts appearing new or great, good or evil ; with the circumſtances of good or evil con fidered as preſent or abſent, poſſible or impoſſible; probable or improbable; which affections are called primitive or derivative. - In the moral qualities of the foul ; fuch are wif dom, goodneſs, holineſs, juſtice, ſincerity, humility, meekneſs, integrity. - A more diſtinct and extenſive view of the powers and affećtions of the foul. - V. I. UNDER STANDING. This is called by different names, viz. Common fenfe, or that power which perceives truth by a fudden impulſe independent of our will, accord ing to an eſtabliſhed law, and therefore called Senſe : and aćting in the fame manner upon all men, in all ages and nations of the world, and therefore called Common Senſe, D 2 Intelligence
E 28 ] Intelligence is a power of perceiving, in an inſtant, the felf-evidence of any truth propoſed to the foul. Intelligence relates chiefly to thoſe axioms or truths which carry their own evidence with them, and admit of no doubt : they cannot be proved, becauſe nothing is more clear and certain : they cannot be denied, becauſe their own evidence is fo bright and con vincing, that as foon as the terms or words are under ftood, the mind affents, and is forced to own their truth. This intelligence, or common fenfe, is the grand criterion of truth. For our own intuitive and felf evident perceptions, are the ultimate foundation on which all our reafoning rests. The understanding is only another name for com mon fenſe or intelligence. It is the power of perceiv ing objeếts, or it is that faculty whereby the foul has the knowledge of the existence and nature of things. The understanding, like the eye, gives information of all objećts propoſed to it. The understanding, or perceptive faculty of the foul, may be confidered in two modes ; pafive and aćtive : paffive, or a mere capacity of receiving ideas or images of things : aćtive, or a power of contemplating and working upon the ideas received : thus it approaches to the next power of the foul, called, II. REAsoN Is the power of placing ideas together, and com paring them with each other, in order to fee their agreement or difference, and to infer one thing from D 2 another,
[ 29 ] another, and thus draw juſt concluſions from true and clear principles ; that is, make fair dedućtions from folid axioms and felf-evident truths. - DEMONSTRATION Is the regular and beautiful proceſs of reaſon, or in other words, it is a chain of clear reafoning, begin ning from fome plain and undoubted axiom, and regularly deſcending by a cloſe connexion of ideas till you come at your concluſion. III. JUDGMENT Is a power of perceiving the relation or reſpect that one thing bears to another, and of distinguiſhing the propriety or impropriety of aćtions. * It is that power of the foul which pafès ſentence on things propoſed to its examination, and determines what is right or wrong; and thus it approves or dif-" approves of an aćtion, or an objećt, confidered as true; or falſe, fit or unfit, good or evil. - - - IV. MIND Is a power of receiving inſtrućtion, and of application by hard ſtudy to attain knowledge. | The mind can reflećt on things paſt, and hath a forefight of things to come in the natural and moral world. - - The mind hath an admirable fagacity or acuteriefs of diſcovery to fee into future events, and to diſcern the happy or terrible confequences of tempers and aćtions, confidered as morally good or evil. The
[ 3o ] The mind can forefee and forecaſt, or provide for things to come, and guard againſt many ruinous con fequences by the acuteneſs of its powers in the dif covery of truth. V. CoNscIENce Is a power of diſcerning inſtantly moral good and evil in our tempers and aćtions. Conſcience is the knowledge which a man hath of his own internal 2ćtions with regard to the divine law, and a conſcioufneſs that God gives an attention to, and pastes judgment on, the fame aćtions. A good conſcience is foon alarmed, eaſily con vinced, much concerned, hard to forgive itſelf. When conſcience performs its office with accuracy and exaćtneſs, it will accuſe a man when he does wrong, and commend and applaud him when he does right; hence will arife peace of mind or dread of puniſhment in a moment: in a word, conſcience is inſtead of ten thouſand witneſles to the exiſtence and juſtice of God. VI. MeMoRY Is a power of retaining the facts, images, and words, we learn; and recollecting thoſe facts, and recalling them to mind on every needful occafion. When an idea, faćt, image, expreſſion, or word, ariſes in the mind, with a conſcioufneſs at the fame instant of time that we have had this idea before, we are then faid to remember it. A good
[ 31 ] - A good memory is ready to receive, and admit with eaſe, ideas, words, or facts ; it is large and capacious to treaſure up theſe words and faćts in great number and variety : it is ſtrong and durable to retain for a confiderable time thoſe words and faćts committed to it: it is faithful and aćtive to recollect and fuggest upon every proper occafion, all thoſe words, faćts, images, and fentences, which have been truſted to its care, or treaſured up in it. VII. IMAGINATION I sa power of recollećting and affembling images, and of painting forcibly thoſe images on our own minds, or on the minds of others. The original efficient cauſe of all innocent pleaſures of the imagination, is God himſelf. The final cauſe of our being pleaſed with what is great is, that we may be excited to contemplate the greateſt objećt in the univerſe, the being and perfec tions of God; and that he might give our fouls a juſt reliſh of fuch a glorious contemplation, he has made them naturally delightful in the apprehenſion of what is great and unlimited like God ; fuch is the immenfity of ſpace, and the ſtarry heavens, which are the temple and dwelling-place of God. - The final cauſe of the pleaſures of the imagina tion in whatever is new, rare, or uncommon, is this; - - . - God has annexed a ſecret pleaſure to the idea of any thing that is new or rare, that he might encourage and ſtimulate us in the eager and keen purſuits after knowledge, and inflame our beſt pastions to ſearch - into
[ 32 ] into the wonders of his creation and revelation : for every new idea brings fuch a pleaſure along with it, as rewards any pains we have taken in its acquiſition, and confequently ferves as a ſtriking and powerful motive to put us upon freſh diſcoveries in learning and fcience, as well as in the word and works of God. The final cauſe of our pleaſure in beauty, which is that quality in any object that excites esteem and af fećtion. The final cauſe of beauty in the creation is to pleaſe and regale the imagination, and excite a rational love. God has made ſuch a boundleſs variety of objećts appear beautiful, that he might render the whole creation more gay and delightful to our fouls. He has given almoſt every thing about us the power of raifing an agreeable idea in the imagination. So that it is almost impoffible for us to behold his works with coldneſs and indifference, and to furvey fo many beauties of creation and revelation, without a ſecret fatisfaćtion and complacency. VIII. IN v ENTION Is a power of the mind, which, on a ſudden, with great fagacity or acuteneſs of diſcovery, finds out, on difficult and important occaſions, uſeful thoughts, convincing arguments, bright images, and proper lively paintings of the paſions; or in other words, Invention is a power of finding out language to in ftrućt the mind, of diſplaying truth and evidence to convince the conſcience, of diſcovering motives to per fuade the will, and of painting images in a vivid M12 IAIlçT
[ 33 ] manner, to pleaſe and allure the affećtions on all proper occaſions, and in the moſt important and critical periods of our life. IX. TASTE. Taste is a power of receiving pleaſure from the beauties of creation, the beauties of charaćter, and virtuous and noble aćtions ; and the beauties of hif tory, eloquence, poetry, and divine revelation. Taſte is the exquiſite fenfibility of the foul to every fine impulſe of beauty, truth, and goodneſs ; this taste is wrought up to perfećtion and delicacy by education, ſtudy, and devotion, whereby the mind becomes able to difcern, with an intuitive rapidity, how much true beauty and pleaſure every objećt in heaven and earth can give us. X. HUMAN WILL. The will is a power of beginning motion in the foul, or in the body, or in other bodies round about Lls. - The will is that power whereby the foul labors to unite with, or avoid things, according as they are ap prehended to be good or evil. As the underſtanding, like the eye, gives informa tion of objećts ; the will, like the feet or hands, purſues the objećt if it appears good, and flies from it if it appears evil: the will embraces the objećt if E ’ it
[ 34 ] it appears beautiful, or guards againſt it if it appears deformed, and fit to do us hurt. The will is a power to chufe or refuſe, to accept or rejećt, any objeći propoſed to the ſenſes or the un derſtanding. z The will is a power to chufe any one thing, or the contrary, among feveral objećts or things which are propoſed to the fenſes or the reafon, without any in ward or outward reſtraint and force, or conftraining biafs or influence ; the objećts appearing to the fenfes and the reaſon as true or falfe, good or evil, fit or unfit, beautiful or ugly, and likely to be followed with happy or miferable conſequences. LIBERTY or rHE WILL Confiſts in a power of delaying the execution of our defires, or fufpending the acts of volition or choice, until the man has honeſtly examined on all fides what is beſt *. THE PAss1oNs of THE Soul. The paffions, or affećtions, are fenſible commo tions of our whole nature, of foul and body, attended with pleaſure or pain, occaſioned by the perception of fome objećt fuited to excite that commotion. * Such is the weakneſs of the will, and fuch is the vicious fury of the appetites, and fuch is the strength of the mad fire of the great pastions, that man will not stay to examine honestly what is best ; he has no patience to examine diligently what is true or falfe, good or evil, fit or unfit, beautiful or ugly; or what aćtions will be followed by happy or dreadful confequences. An
[ 35 ] An objećł new, and vaſt, and agreeable, excites a fublime and pleaſing commotion of the foul, and blood, and ſpirits, which emotion is ſtyled I. A D M I R A T I o N. An objećt appearing to the fenſes or the mind as good, excites us to covet an union with the objećt ; this is called - II. L o v E. Love is a fenſible commotion of the foul, blood, and ſpirits, and the force or impetus of the will towards an objećt confidered as good. Love is the motion of the foui, endeavoring an unione with the amiable and good objećt. Note, Beauty and goodneſs is that quality in ob jećts that excites love. Love, in its ſublimeſt nature and degree, is the whole force of a good man's heart exerted in one mighty and pathetic defire towards GoD. An objećł appearing evil to the fenſes or the mind, exciting a painful commotion and averſion, or an en deavor after difunion and flight from the objećt, is called III. HAT R E D. Hatred is á painful averſion of the will to any ob jećt confidered as evil and ugly, and fit to do us fome hurt or injury. E 2 . The
[ 36 ] The perception of an objećł ofworth and excellence, being good in itſelf, excites a pleaſing emotion or aćt of reſpećt, called IV. E s T E E M. The perception of an objećł, confidered as worthlek, mean, little, vile, and unfit to do us any good, excites that aćt of the mind called V. C o N T E M P T. The perception of an objećt, as fit to receive good, as worthy to be honored and happy, excites that free and forcible emotion called VI. B E N E v o L E N c E. The perception of an objećt, as fit to receive hurt or ill-will, as deſerving blame or mifery, excites that painful emotion of our nature called VII. MALE voLENce oR ENv Y. Envy is a difpofition of the heart to oppoſe and hurt the perſon, charaćter, and welfare of another, con fidering that object as difagreeable to us, and hurtful to our intereſts. Envy is a painful commotion of the heart, fpring ing from hatred of a man's perſon, and forrow at any honor or happineſs he enjoys. Self-love, and a defire of preheminence and a dif tinction above others, excites this painful paffion called envy. Envy
[ 37 ] Envy is the moſt baſe, tormenting and miſchievous. paffion, in men and devils ; it makes a man to re-. femble the devil. | - Envy grows out of violent felf-love, and a corrupt defire of eſteem and preheminence above others: this vehement paſſion for ſuperior regard, rages more or leſs in all mankind ; hence arifes our envy at all men that we think ſtand in our way, and eclipſe our abilities and learning, or lefſen our importance and honor. Envy is a curſed plant that grows more or leſs in every heart. This devil's temper, which frets at the peace and honor and happineſs of others, dwells particularly in learned men and authors, to the everlaſting ſcandal of their character, genius, and accompliſhments. The perception of an objećt that appears agreeable, and which we can call our own, excites that pleaſing emotion of the foul which we call VIII. CoMPLAcENce oR DELIGHT. It is an agreeable fenfation arifing in the mind, with ſweet fatisfaćtion and pleaſure from the percep tion of a good objećt, that appears beautiful, and which we have a deep intereſt in, ſo as to call it our OWn. - The perception of a difagreeable ugly objećt excites that painful emotion called IX. D I S P L I C E N c F. This painful commotion of our nature always ariſes from the apprehenſion of a difagreeable objećt ; viz. 2n - ----r--
[ 38 ] an evil perſon, an evil aćtion, or any bad quality in a rational agent. The perception of an abſent good objećt that is fuitable to make us happy and poſſible to us, excites that commotion in our whole nature called X. D E s 1 R. e. This lively and forcible emotion towards fome ab fent good, always arifes from an apprehenſion that it is poſſible and fuitable, and this produces that power ful tendency of the heart towards it. The perception of an evil object, exciting in us an effort to turn away from it, is called XI. A v E R s I o N. This averſion is a lively and powerful effort of the will to turn away from an evil objeći, or it is the ſpeedy withdrawment óf the will from an evil object, confidered as preſent or abſent. . The perception of a poſſible or probable good, ex citing a vivid defire and confident expećtation of en joying that good, is called XII. Hor . A defire of fome abſent good is a feeble hope; and a confident and vigorous expećtation of abſent good, is a ſtrong and confirmed hope. Hope is a fenſible commotion of our nature excited by the perception of fome attainable good; and this expectation is enlivened with joy in proportion to the fenfè
[ 39 ] fenfe and perfuaſion we have of the probability of poffeffing the good we want. If this expećtation is ftrong and lively, it is always indulged with pleaſure. The perception of a great abſent evil likely to come upon us, excites in us a violent and painful commo tion of our whole nature, or a piercing diſturbance of mind, called XIII F e a r. Fear is a painful apprehenfion of danger or evil, it is an uneafineſs of mind upon the thought of future evil likely to befal us. If this fear riſes high, it is called horror and terror; our fudden and ſurprizing fears fhew us, that “thus a man ought to fear God.” The perception of an happy event, or the enjoy ment of a preſent good, or an aſſured approach of a future good, produces that pathetic commotion or high fenfation of pleaſure, called XIV J o Y. This is a pleaſure of mind arifing from a praſent good, or an aſſured approach of a future good, which will foon be in our poſleffion, and be aſſuredly our own, to be freely and fully enjoyed for ever. The perception of good loft, or the preſent pref fures of evil, produce that painful commotion in our whole nature, which is called XV. S o R R o w. * Sorrow is a painful commotion of the mind arifing from fome fad event : it is the deep pain of the mind upon
[ 40 ] upon the thought of a loft good which might have been longer enjoyed, or the diſtreffing fenfation of preſent evil, which might have been prevented or kept off, or very much diminiſhed. Deſpair is dreadful forrow without hope. The perception of great benefits received, or great good beſtowed upon us by an intelligent and voluntary agent, produces in us that forcible defire to make all the beſt returns in our power, called XVI. G R A T I T U D E. Gratitude confists in a lively fenfe of good inten tionally bestowed upon us ; a high value of the gifts, and a fervent love to the giver, with a pathetic defire and purpoſe to make all the returns of love and fervice in our power for ever. The perception of an hurtful object, or an objećł that intentionally doth fome injury to us, excites that violent and painful commotion of the foul and body, which is called * XVII. A N G e R. Is a fudden and uneafy emotion of the mind, on re ceiving fome intentional hurt or injury. Anger is a violent commotion of the whole foul, attended with piercing pain on our being hurt by any rational agent, with a preſent purpoſe of revenge. ', , Tat
[ 41 ] “THr HUMAN SQUL IS A MOST WOND ER FUL RESEM BLANCE oF THE ALMIGHTY PowER, AND THE UNBοUNDED UNDERSTANDING OF G O D. The ſelf-exiſtent God is much more and better re fembled by the foul, or inviſible part of man, than by anything outward, material, or fenſible in the whole world. And the perfections of God may be more fully re preſented and better underſtood, by being compared with the correſpondent powers of the mind of man. Let us confider the human foul with reſpeét to God's attributes of power and wiſdom, the perfećtion and infinitude of which we aſcribe to the ſupreme and felf-exiſtent Being. - We ſhall find in man, not merely the effećts of them, fuch as are diſplayed in all the parts of the creation, but likewife fome image or reſemblance of theſe attributes themſelves, and a capacity in the foul to exercife theſe reſemblances or likeneſles of GOD's perfećtions in a wonderful manner and degree, though ftill limited to ſhew us our immediate and continual dependence on God's agency and pleaſure. THe soUL IS ANI IMAGE oF THE IMMENSE PowER o F G O D. 1. The foul has a power of aċtuating the body, though not ſeen by human eyes, or felt by the human hand. - Thus it refembles God who aćtuates the earth and feas, the birds, beasts, fiſhes, and reptiles; the bodies F of
- [ 42 ] of all mankind, and the planetary heavens every moment. 2. The foul of man has a power of moving, or not moving all or any part of the body at pleaſure. Thus it reſembles God, who can move all or any part of the univerſe at his will; and though a thou fand millions of men united could not move the globe of our earth one inch, yet God moves it a thouſand miles every minute, and has done fo every minute for near fix thouſand years. 3. The foul has a power of determining the motion of the body this way or that way, without being her felf firſt moved or impelled by any outward force ; that is, the foul has a power of beginning motion of itſelf, which is indeed a true, a real, a wonderful power, and fuch as no mere matter in the world ever had, or is capable of. Thus the foul reſembles God, who can begin mo tions in the viſible world this way or that way, as he pleafes. Note, The mean motion between the ſwiftest body in our ſyſtem, and the flowest body, or the mean mo tion of all the heavenly bodies taken together, is about fifty-two thouſand miles every hour ever fince the creation, five thouſand ſeven hundred years ago : What an infinitely aćtive force is there in this divine nature ! what an infinite life and ability in the divine will, to be able to produce for thouſands of years, without the leaſt fatigue, the most astoniſhing variety of effects in the ſtarry heavens, and the earth and feas below ! 4. The
[ 43 ] 4. The foul of man manifeſts an amazing dominion or fovereignty of power in willing, in chufing, or re fuſing, in aćting freely, or without being aćted upon by any external agent. Thus it reſembles the fovereign and abſolute God, who wills, who chuſes or refuſes, who aćts freely in creation, in providence, in the preſervation of the natural and rational world, in the whole adminiſtra tion of his vast affairs, and in the beſtowing of his favors without being impelled by any external force, conſtrained by any foreign power, or giving an ae count to men or angels of his behavior and condućt towards the work of his hands. THE soUL IS AN IMAGE of THE UNeoUNDED UN DER STANDING OF G O D. \ 1. The foul has a power of reflećting upon itſelf, and furveying millions of its own ideas, and the images which have been impreſſed upon it in the com paſs of fifty or feventy years, and it is capable of fur veying ten thouſand objećts without itſelf. No other creature below man is capable of this power of furveying its own exiſtence, or the creation all round itſelf. - Thus the foul reſembles the vaſt and capacious ` mind of God, who can reflećt on his own infinite being, and all the immenfe treaſures of his own ideas, at one and the fame moment. 2. The foul of man hath a power of comparing ideas of all things in the viſible world, and of reafon ing and judging concerning paſt, preſent, and future things. The foul can bring up to its review and F 2 refTheIn
[ 44 ] remembrance ten thouſand faćts and tranſaćtions in all paſt ages ; to judge of the preſent ftate of all na tions, and to forefee, with amazing fagacity, the future fates of cnipires, cities, and the individuals of mankind, for thouſands of years to come. Thus the foul reſembles the boundleſs mind of God, which grafps at one immenfe furvey all per fons, things, aćtions, charaćters, in all worlds from eternity to eternity, in the vaſt depths of his under ftanding and knowledge, which is clear without dark nefs, diſtinét without confufion, infallible without doubt, eaſy without labor, has pleaſing perceptions without pain, univerſal without limits or bounds. 3. The foul has a power of confidering and pro poſing great and noble ends of life, and of aćting al ways with fome deſign or view of good and hap pineſs. An end is that for which a thing is done. Man always aćts with a view to fome end, and that end is either for fome real or apparent good. Man has a capacity of fuiting means to ends, and thus the human foul is a reſemblance of the under ftanding and wiſdom of God. - God being the ſupreme immenfe eternal good, it is wife and beautiful in him to propoſe the complete diſcovery of his grandeur, and boundleſs perfections as - his higheſt end and defign, and he has a prudence to fuit and adapt the beſt means to this noble end of GoD. 4. The foul has a moſt furprifing capacity to in vent, contrive, improve, perfect and beautify, many noble and liberal fciences, by confidering the nature - of
[ 45 ] of cauſes and effećts, and the dependencies of one thing upon another. Thus it reſembles the unbounded capacity of God, who grafps at once all the departments of knowledge, and penetrates to the very effences of all matter and fpirit in the univerſe of being. 5. The foul hath a wonderful livelineſs and rapidity of thought, and keenneſs of apprehenſion, on a thou fand occaſions. It has an amazing power of fiying from world to world, through the boundlefs empire of God. It can repreſent to itſelf in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, things at an infinite distance through all worlds, as if they were preſent to the very estence of the foul, and this it can do without the leaft trouble of local motion, even to an inch of fpace. No creature, except an angel, is capable of this astoniſhing rapidity of thought, and this stríking re femblance to Go D. - 6. The foul has a glorious power and capacity of forming to itſelf new regions and empires of know ledge, and creating new worlds of thought, which have no other exiſtence but in the foul itſelf. It is capable of producing many uſeful axioms or felf-evident truths, folid maxims of wiſdom, and noble theorems in fcience, in morals, and religion. It is postest of fuch bright intelligence as to per* ceive, with intuitive rapidity, the felf-evidence of many fpeculative truths, of diſcerning the felf-evi dence of many praćtical truths, of demonſtrating fub lime theorems or ſpeculative propoſitions, and of folv II}g»
[ 46 ] ing, with piercing and keen fagacity, many demon ftrable praćtical propoſitions, and of ſhewing how fuch or fuch truths flow from a demonſtration in fo cafy and clear a manner, as to diſcover its dependence upon the propoſition, whence it is deduced, almoſt as foon as propoſed and put into words. Thus the foul is an image of God, who has the univerſal ſyſtem of truth in the graſp of his infinite underſtanding. Theſe aftoniſhing and noble perfections, with many others, are the properties of a human foul, which fhew it to be an intelligent and ſpiritual being, of a nature quite different from that of matter, however modified or put into motion. - Could the blind ſhuffles of dead matter, however put into the moſt violent and rapid motion, ever pro duce the glorious effects of intelligence and thought ? Could a heap of fand in motion ever produce Euclid's problems and theorems in geometry ? Could a pile of aſhes, put into rapid motion, ever produce Homer's Iliad, or Virgil's Pastorals and AEneid ? Could a mountain of duft, in a violent whirl, com poſe Milton’s Paradife loſt ? Could a prodigious whirlwind, or a vefſel full of the moſt volatile and rectified ſpirits, ever compoſe Sir Iſaac Newton’s mathematic principles of philoſophy, or Mr. Locke's excellent Effay on the Human Un derſtanding? Who can believe theſe monftrous abfur dities unleſs he be a stupid fool, a drivelling ideot, or downright raving madman ? C o N
[ 47 ] CoNcLUsIoN oF THE w HoLE. A foul of fuch godlike powers and perfećtions muft be immortal. Thus, my dear reader, I have led you through the most eaſy and intelligible evidences of the exiſtence of a God, and I have given you the outlines of his in- . finite perfećtions, eſpecially his power, wiſdom, and goodneſs, and his relations to the univerſe and to man, as our creator, owner, benefactor, and gover nor, with the natural duties we owe to him as the first and almighty cauſe of all things. Let me intreat you to stand ftill and confider the beautiful charaćter of this lovely and adorable God, a moſt pure Spirit, unbounded by time, and therefore eternal ; unbounded by ſpace, and therefore omni preient ; unbounded in power, and therefore omnipo tent ; having a preſence of power which no force can withſtand, a preſence of wiſdom which no craft can deceive, and a preſence of goodneſs, love, and bounty, which all the immortal capacities of men and angels can never exhauſt. A living felf-aćtive Spirit, a Spirit of infinite life without limits, of eternal life without end, immutable life without change, and of perfect life without defećt. A Spirit that can produce the moſt aftoniſhing effećts in a moment through hea ven, earth, and hell ; and can make, or move, or deſtroy, a world with a thought. A Spirit that has the keeneſt abhorrence of all moral impurity, and a complacency in the righteouſneſs and goodneſs of his own nature, and a delight in every rational creature that
[ 48 ] that hath any degree of beautiful reſemblance to him felf. A Spirit who wills and operates according to the ſhining purity of his divine perfećtions. A Spirit who hath an invariable will to communicate good to the upright, and inflict evil on the wicked; who has a will to puniſh fin with ſhame, and pain, and death, who has denounced the moſt dreadful threatnings that he will do it, and will terribly diſplay the aćtual exe cutions of his wrath. A Spirit that fcorns all diffi mulation and diſguiſes, that can neither deceive nor be deceived. A Spirit of the moſt upright intentions of heart, who gives the moſt fair repreſentations of his mind without any referve, who hath no duplicity of condućt, and preſerves one uniform charaćter to eternity. A Spirit of abſolute dominion over all worlds, who has a right to make what creatures he pleaſes, who has a right to govern all the creatures he has made, and who hath a right to diſpoſe of all the creatures he doth govern. A Spirit of great long fuffering with provoking finners, but whoſe patience will have an end in the finner's happineſs or final deſtrućtion. A Spirit who exercifes a providence over all his creatures ; and this providence is nothing but the infinite wiſdom, invariable rectitude, immenſe goodneſs, almighty power and inviolable truth and fincerity of God, diſplayed in the preſervation and government of all the worlds of creatures which hehath brought into exiſtence. - This is fuch a charaćter of God that (if any thing leſs than ſpecial grace were fufficient) would teach anatheift to admire, and make a devil adore. - We
[ 49 1 -mm------- We have likewife taken a fhort furvey of the foul of man, which, if strićtly confidered, is but one fimple principle of rational operation, aćting in differ ent modes, and exerting itſelf on various objećts, yet for popular uſe, and to ſtrike the minds of young perſons, we have viewed as confifting of ten wonder ful powers, and feventeen paffions, or fenſible com motions of our nature, attended with pleaſure or pain. Theſe mighty ſprings of aćtion were wifely ordained of God for very noble ends and purpoſes in the various duties of the perſonal, focial, and re ligious life ; and it is our wiſdom to govern them aright, and direct them to the higheſt uſes, viz. the divine glory and our happineſs. Let me cloſe this effay with defiring my reader to turn in and review himſelf; “ Am I a creature poffeſt of a foul of fuch wonderful powers of underſtanding, reafon, judgment, confcience, memory, imaginacion, invention, taſte, and choice; and furniſhed with fuch variety of ſprings of aćtion, as admiration, love, hatred, hope, fear, joy, forrow, gratitude, and anger; with their various combinations to produce many great effects ? Is my foul a reſemblance of the al mighty power and boundleſs knowledge of God, and is this foul of mine immortal in duration ? Muft it live as long as God endures ? Then how mad and how wicked have I been to neglećt and abuſe this foul ; and that for the fake of trifles, bubbles, and 1yes ?” O ! great GoD of fouls, help me for the future to confider that the eternal happineſs of my fingle foul is of greater moment, and big with greater G eVents
f so ] events * than the temporal falvation of all the nations of the globe, even for the ſpace of ten thouſand ages, becauſe there will rife up a point, an instant in eter nity, when my one foul fhall have exiſted as many ages as all the individuals of all nations, ranged in the clofe lineal ſuccestion will, in the whole, have exiſted in the ſpace of ten thouſand ages ; therefore my one foul is capable of a larger ſhare of happineſs or mifery throughout an endlefs eternity, for that will still be before it, more than a whole world of mankind is capable of in ten thouſand ages. 1 * N. B. A demonstration of the immortality cf the foul, drawn from the grandeur of the viſible univerſe, the beauty and revolutions of the ſeaſons, the grada tions of life through the vegetable, animal, and ratio nal worlds, the amazing works of genius, and power, and art of man : from man’s difcontent with his preſent ſtate and enjoyments, from the gradual and flow growth of his reaſon, from the nature and con tinual exercife of hope, from the infinite destre of fame, or the unbounded love of honor, from the grandeur of the paſions, with many other evidences drawn from reafon, experience, and fcripture, will b publiſhed in a ſeparate effay. - - * Dr. Do ddridge. E R R A T A. Page 11, line 4. for armiture, read armature.-P. 1 r. 1. 4. add tle–íbid. i. 21. add of–P. 16. l. 13. for distributive, r. destructive.--ibid. l. 19. aed, and destination. –P. 22. iast l. r. infinite excellencies.-P. 31. l. 21. for del gitful, r. deighted. - - - \