30 TheWisDOM of GOD Parti. 



give an Account of the Formation of the Uni- 

 verfe by Mechanical Hypothefes of Matter, mov'd 

 either uncertainly, or according to fome Catho- 

 Hck Laws, without the Intervention and Affi- 

 ftance of any fuperior immaterial Agent. 



There is no greater, at leaft no more palpa- 

 ble and convincing Argument of the Exiftence 

 of a Deity, than the admirable Art and Wifdom 

 that difcovers itfelf in the Make and Conftitu- 

 tion, the Order and Difpofition, the Ends and 

 Ufes of all the Parts and Members of this (late- 

 ly Fabrick of Heaven and Earth : For if in the 

 Works of Art (as for Example) a curious Edifice, 

 or Machine, Council, Defign, and Direction, to 

 * an End appearing in the whole Frame, and in 

 all the feveral Pieces of it, do neceffarily infer 

 the Being and Operation of fome intelligent 

 Architeft, or Engineer ; why fhould not alfo, in 

 the Works of Nature, that Grandeur and Mag- 

 nificence, that excellent Contrivance for Beauty, 

 Order, Ufe, &c, which is obfervable in them, 

 wherein they do as much tranfcend the EfFeds 

 of human Art, as infinite Power and Wifdom 

 exceeds finite, infer the Exiftence and Efficiency 

 of an Omnipotent and All- wife Creator ?. 



To evade the Force of this Argument, and 

 to give fome Account of the Original of the 

 World, Atheiftical Perfons have fet up two 

 Hypothefes. 



Thefirft is that of Ariftotle, that the World 

 was from Eternity in the fame Condition that 

 now it is, having run through the Succeffions 

 of infinite Generations} to which they add, Self- 

 ex- 



