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N all Ages wherein Learning bath flourished, Complaint hath been made 1 of the Itch of Writing, and the Multitude of worthless Books, wherewith importunate Scribblers have peftered the World, Scribimus indocti doctique: And, ----- Tenet infanabile multos Scribendi Cacoethes. I am fenfible that this Tractate may likely incurr the Cenfure of a fuperfluous Piece, and myself the Blame of giving the Reader unneceffary Trouble, there having been so much fo well written of this Subject, by the most learned Men of our Time; Dr. Moore, Dr. Cudworth, Dr. Stillingfleet late Bishop of Worcester, Dr. Parker late of Qxon; and, to name no more, the Honourable Robert Boyle, Efq; fo that it will need fome Apology. First, Therefore in Excufe of it, I plead, That there are in it fome Confiderations new and untouch'd by others: Wherein, if I be miftaken, I alledge, Secondly, That the Manner of Delivery and Expreffion may be more fuitable to fome Mens Apprehenfion, and facile to their Understandings. If that will not hold, I pretend, Thirdly, That all the Particulars con

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tained in this Book, cannot be found in any one Piece known to me, but lie fcattered and difperfed in many; and fo this may serve to relieve thofe faftidious Readers, that are not willing to take the Pains to fearch them out: And poffibly, there may be fome whofe Ability (whatever their Industry might be) will not ferve them to purchase, nor their Opportunity to borrow thofe Books, who yet may fpare Money enough to buy fo inconfiderable a Trifle. If none of thefe Excufes fuffice to acquit me of Blame, and remove all Prejudice, I have two farther Reasons to of fer, which I think will reach home, and justify this Undertaking. First, That all Men who prefume to write, at least whofe Writings the Printers will venture to publish, are of fome Note in the World; and where they do, or have lived and converfed, have fome Sphere of Friends and Acquaintance, that know and esteem them, who, it's likely, will buy any Book they hall write for the Author's Sake, who otherwife would have read none of that Subject, tho' ten times better and fo the Book, however inferiour to what have been already published, may happen to do much Good. Secondly, By Virtue of my Function, I fufpect myself to be obliged to write fomething in Divinity, having written fo much on other Subjects: For being not permitted to ferve the Church with my Tongue in Preaching, I know not but it may be my Duty to ferve it with my Hand by Writing. And I have made Choice of this Subject, as thinking myself best qualified to treat of it. If what I have now written fhall

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find fo favourable Acceptance, as to encourage me to proceed, God granting Life and Health, the Reader may expect more: If otherwife, I must be content to be laid afide as ufelefs, and fa tisfy myself in having made this Experiment.

As for this Difcourse, I have been careful to admit nothing for Matter of Fact, or Experi ment, but what is undoubtedly true, left I should build upon a fandy and ruinous Foundation; and by the Admixture of what is falfe, render that which is true fufpicious.

I might have added many more Particulars; nay, my Text warrants me to run over all the vifible Works of God in particular, and to trace the Footsteps of His Wisdom in the Compofition, Order, Harmony, and Ufes of every one of them, as well as of those that I have felected. But, Firft, This would be a Task far transcending my Skill and Abilities; nay, the Joint Skill and Endeavours of all Men now living, or that shall live after a thousand Ages, fhould the World laft fo long. For no Man can find out the Work that God maketh from the Beginning to the End, Ecclef. iii. 11. Secondly, I was willing to confult the Infirmity of the Reader, or indeed of Mankind in general; which after a short Confinement to one fort of Dish, is apt to loath it, tho' never fo wholfome, and which at first was most pleasant and acceptable: And So to moderate my Difcourfe, as to make an End of Writing, before I might prefume he fhould be quite tired with Reading.

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I fhall now add a Word or two concerning the Usefulness of the Argument or Matter of this Difcourfe, and the Reason I had to make Choice of it, befides what I have already offered.

First, The Belief of a Deity being the Foundation of all Religion; (Religion being nothing but a devout Worshipping of God, or an Inclination of Mind to ferve and worship Him;) For he that cometh to God, muft believe that he is: It is a Matter of the highest Concernment, to be firmly fettled and established in a full Perfuafion of this main Point: Now this must be demonftrated by Arguments drawn from the Light of Nature, and Works of the Creation. For as all other Sciences, fo Divinity proves not; but fuppofes its Subjects, taking it for granted, that by Natural Light, Men are fufficiently convinced of the Being of a Deity. There are indeed fupernatural Demonftrations of this fundamental Truth, but not common to all Perfons or Times, and fo liable to Cavil and Exception by Atheistical Perfons, as inward Illuminations of Mind, a Spirit of Prophecy and Fore-telling future Contingents, illuftrious Miracles, and the like. But thefe Proofs taken from Effects, and Operations, expofed to every Man's View, not to be denied or questioned by any, are most effeEtual to convince all that deny or doubt of it. Neither are they only convictive of the greatest and fubtleft Adversaries, but intelligible alfo to the meanest Capacities. For you may hear illiterate Perfons of the lowest Rank of the Commonalty, affirming, That they need no Proof of the

Being of a God, for that every Pile of Grafs, or Ear of Corn, fufficiently proves that: For, 'fay they, all the Men of the World cannot make Such a thing as one of thefe; and if they cannot do it, who can, or did make it but God? To tell them, that it made itself, or sprung up by chance, would be as ridiculous as to tell the greatest Philofopher fo.

Secondly, The Particulars of this Difcourfe Serve not only to demonftrate the Being of a Deity, but also to illuftrate fome of his princi pal Attributes; as namely, his infinite Power and Wisdom. The vaft Multitude of Creatures, and thofe not only fmall, but immenfly great; the Sun and Moon, and all the Heavenly Hoft, are Effects and Proofs of His Almighty Power. The Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament fheweth His Handy - Work Pfal. xix. 1. The admirable Contrivance of all and each of them, the Adapting all the Parts of Animals to their feveral Ufes: The Provifion that is made for their Suftenance, which is often taken Notice of in Scripture, Pfal. cxlv. 15, 16. The Eyes of all wait upon Thee, Thou givest them their Meat in due Seafon. Thou openeft Thy Hand, and fatisfieft the Defire of every living Thing. Matth. vi. 26. Behold the Fowls of the Air: For they fow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into Barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Pfal. cxlvii. 9. He giveth to the Beast his Food, and to the young Ravens when they cry. And, Lastly, Their mutual Subferviency to each other, and

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