All these artifices
are repeated in every different species of animal, with wonderful
variety, and with exact propriety, suited to the different
intentions of Nature in framing each species. And if the
infidelity of G/ALEN\, even when these natural sciences were
still imperfect, could not withstand such striking appearances,
to what pitch of pertinacious obstinacy must a philosopher in
this age have attained, who can now doubt of a Supreme
Intelligence!
Could I meet with one of this species (who, I thank God, are
very rare), I would ask him: Supposing there were a God, who did
not discover himself immediately to our senses, were it possible
for him to give stronger proofs of his existence, than what
appear on the whole face of Nature? What indeed could such a
Divine Being do, but copy the present economy of things; render
many of his artifices so plain, that no stupidity could mistake
them; afford glimpses of still greater artifices, which
demonstrate his prodigious superiority above our narrow
apprehensions; and conceal altogether a great many from such
imperfect creatures? Now, according to all rules of just
reasoning, every fact must pass for undisputed, when it is
supported by all the arguments which its nature admits of; even
though these arguments be not, in themselves, very numerous or
forcible: How much more, in the present case, where no human
imagination can compute their number, and no understanding
estimate their cogency!
I shall further add, said C/LEANTHES\, to what you have so
well urged, that one great advantage of the principle of Theism,
is, that it is the only system of cosmogony which can be rendered
intelligible and complete, and yet can throughout preserve a
strong analogy to what we every day see and experience in the
world.
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