l6 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



to leave it abfolutely inert, to require a 

 continued interpofition of the deity. To 

 illuftrate this point, I chufe to borrow the 

 honourable Mr Boyle's fentimcnt, whofe 

 piety was not inferior to his knowledge. 

 " It feems raanifeft enough, that whatfo- 

 " ever is done in the world, at lead where 

 ** the rational foul intervenes not, is really 

 ** eflPeded by corporeal caufes and agents, 

 ** according to the laws fettled by the om- 

 " nifclent author of things." * And he 

 obferves, " That as it more recommends 

 ** the fkill of an engineer to contrive an 

 " elaborate engine, fo as that there need 

 " nothing to reach his ends in it, but the 

 " contrivance of parts void of underftand- 

 ** ing ; than if it were necefTary that, ever 

 " and anon, a difcreet fervant fhould be 

 '* employed to concur notably to the ope- 

 *' rations of this or that part, or to hinder 

 *' the en^ne from being out of order : Say 

 ** it more fets off the wifdom of God, irt 

 " the fabric of the univerfe, that he can 

 ** make fo vaft a machine perform all 



*' thofe 



• Inquiry into the vulgar notion of nature, p. 6a. 



