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PHYSICAL anno LITERARY. 131 
. caufes of any kind, it will be a fufficient 
_ confutation of this {cheme to obferve, that it 
* fuppofes that an infinite number of undefign- 
ing beings can continually produce the greateft 
order, regularity and harmony: which is no 
better fenfe than to fay, that, tho’ one fingle 
cypher be of no value, yet an infinite num- 
ber of nothings can amount to a real quan- 
tity. There is no other poflible method 
whereby to judge of the intelligence or wil- 
dom of any being, but by it’s fentible effects ; 
and we may as eafily fuppofe one fingle life- 
lefs being to produce by itfelf the ordinary ef- 
feéts of wifdom, as that they can refult from : 
the fucceffive action of an infinite number of 
them. 
BecauskF the world is often compared to a 
machine, it hath been imagined, that, when 
once fet a going, it may continue its motions 
_without any further interpofition of the Au- 
thor of nature, or any other being, If we 
attend however to any machines of human 
contrivance, we only learn, that all their mo- 
tions depend upon certain active powers, as 
' gravity and elafticity. Thefe are employed 
by ingenious artifts, fuch as they find them, 
P to many ufeful purpofes in life. But it is by 
| confidering 
