324 STUDIES OF NATUI^Ë. 



of Spring, and of the ravages of Winter, wouM 

 clearly demonftrate, that heat alone gives life to' 

 the vegetable world. But the truth is, after b.U, 

 that heat and cold combined form one of the prin- 

 ciples of vegetation, not only in temperate cli- 

 mates, bul to the very heart of the Torrid Zone. 



It may con^fidently be affirmed, that ali the dif- 

 orders, in both Phyfics and Morals, are neither 

 more no-r lefs than the clalhing oppofition of two 

 contraries. If men would pay attention to this 

 Law, there would be a fpeedy end put to moft of 

 their wranglings and miflakesj for it may be 

 urged, that, every thing beirig compofed of con- 

 traries, whoever affirms a fimple propofition, is only 

 half right, as the contrary propofition has ec^ually 

 an exiftence in nature. 



There is, perhaps, in the World but one intellec- 

 ual truth, pure, fimple, and which does not admit 

 of a contrary idea ; it is the exiftence of GOD. lE 

 is very remarkable, that thofe who have denied it, 

 adduce no other proofs to fupport their negation, 

 but the apparent diforders of Nature, the extreme 

 principles of which alone they contemplated : fo 

 that they have not demonftrated, that no God 

 exifted, but that He was not intelligent, or thac 

 He was not good. Their error, accordingly, pro- 

 ceeds from their ignorance of natural kaws. Be- 



fides. 



