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causes of envy, and of enmity to the ignorant, are in fact a 

 manifest demonstration of the power of the Supreme Being. For 

 it is evident that a painter, by sketching a multiplicity of figures, 

 and by arranging a variety of colours, procures a reputation 

 anion o 1 men; and a gardener, for planting a diversity of shrubs, 

 and for producing a number of different flowers, gains credit and 

 commendation; wherefore it is absurdity and ignorance to view, 

 in an inferior light, Him, who created both the painter and the 

 gardener. The truly intelligent well know that the differences 

 and varieties of created things are a ray of his glorious essence; 

 and that the contrarieties of constitutions are a type of his wonder- 

 ful attributes, whose complete power formed all creatures of the ani- 

 mal, vegetable, and material world, from the four elements of fire, wa- 

 ter, air, and earth, to be an ornament to the magazine of the creation ; 

 and whose comprehensive benevolence selected man, the centre of 

 knowledge, to have dominion and authority over the rest: and, 

 having bestowed upon this favourite object judgment and under- 

 standing, gave him supremacy over the corners of the world ; and, 

 when he had put into his hand the free control and arbitrary dis- 

 posal of all affairs, he appropriated to each tribe its own faith, 

 and to every sect its own religion; and having introduced a nu- 

 merous variety of castes, and a multiplicity of different customs, 

 he views in each particular place the mode of worship respectively 

 appointed to it. Sometimes he is employed with the attendants 

 upon the mosque, in counting the sacred beads; sometimes he is 

 in the temple at the adoration of idols; the intimate of the Mussul- 

 man, and the friend of the Hindoo; the companion of the Chris- 

 tian, and the confident of the Jew. "Wherefore men of exalted 



