both of Peace and Warre: 6. As also the defence of Men against Beafts.
1. Let us therefore swiftly course over the Valleys and Mountains, found the depth of the Sea, range the Woods and Forrests, dig into the Entrails of the Earth, and let the Atheist tell me which of all these places are silent, and say nothing of a God. Those that are most dumb will at least compromise with the rest, that all things are by the guidance and determination, (let the Matter move as it will) or at least by the allowance and approbation, of a Knowing Principle. As a Mason that makes a wall, sometimes meets with a stone that wants no cutting, and so only approving of it, he places it in his work: and a piece of Timber may happen to be crack'd in the very place where the Carpenter would cleave it, and he need not close it first, that he may cleave it asunder afterwards. Wherefore if the mere Motion of the Matter can doe any rude general thing of good consequence, let it stand as allowable: But we shall find out also those things which do so manifestly favour of Design and Counsel,that we cannot naturally withhold our assent, but must say There is a God.
2. And now let us betake our selves to the search, and see if all things be not so as our Reason would desire them. And to begin at the Top first, even those rudely-scattered Mountains, that seem but so many Wens and unnatural Protuberancies upon the face of the Earth, if you consider but of what consequence they are, thus reconciled you may deem them ornaments as well as useful.
For these are Nature's Stillatories, in whose hollow Caverns the ascending vapours are congealed to that universal Aqua vitæ, that good fresh-water, the liquor of life, that sustains all the living Creatures in the world, being carried along in all parts of the Earth in the winding Chanels of Brooks and Rivers. Geography would make it good by a large induction. I will onely instance in three or four; Ana and Tagus run from Sierra Molina in Spain, Rhenus, Padus and Rhodanus from the Alps, Tanais from the Riphean, Garumna from the Pyrenean Mountains, Achelous from Pindus, Hebrus from Rhodope, Tigris from Niphates, Orontes from Libanus, and Euphrates from the Mountains of Armenia, and so in the rest. But I will not insist upon this, I will now betake my self to what doth more forcibly declare an Eye of Providence directing and determining, as well as approving of, the results of the supposed agitation of the parts of the Matter.
3. And that you may the better feel the strength of my Argument, let us first briefly consider the Nature of Man, what Faculties he hath, and in what order he is in respect of the rest of the Creatures. And, indeed, though his Body be but weak and disarmed, yet his inward abilities of Reason and Artificial contrivance is admirable. He is much given to Contemplation, and the viewing of this Theatre of the world, to traffick and commerce with forein Nations, to the building of Houses and Ships, to the making curious instruments of Silver, Brass or Steel, and the like: in a word, he is the flower and chief of all the products of Natureupon
