16 NATURAL THEOLOGY. 



whole, nor indeed the chief part, of what astronomy 

 teaches. By bringing reason to bear upon obser- 

 vation, (the acutest reasoning upon the exactest ob- 

 servation,) the astronomer has been able, out of 

 the "mystic dance," and the confusion (for such 

 it is,) under which the motions of the heavenly 

 bodies present themselves to the eye of a mere 

 gazer upon the skies, to elicit their order and 

 their real paths. 



Our knowledge, therefore, of astronomy is ad- 

 mirable, though imperfect; and, amidst the con- 

 fessed desiderata and desideranda, which impede 

 our investigation of the wisdom of the Deity in 

 these the grandest of his works, there are to be 

 found, in the phenomena, ascertained circum- 

 stances and laws, sufficient to indicate an intellec- 

 tual agency in three of its principal operations, 

 viz. in choosing, in determining, in regulating; 

 in choosing, out of a boundless variety of suppo- 

 sitions which were equally possible, that which is 

 beneficial ; in determining, what, left to itself, had 

 a thousand chances against conveniency, for one 

 in its favour ; in regulating subjects, as to quanti- 

 ty and degree, which, by their nature, were un- 

 limited with respect to either. It will be our 

 business to offer, under each of these heads, a 



