The Existence of God and the Immortality of the Soul, Chapter 1
OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.
CHAP. I.Chap. I.
Atheism is fearful of publick discovery. Three heads of Arguments to prove the Being of GOD. 1. The visible frame of the World, and the numerous Natures in it, exactly modelled for the good of the whole, prove it to be the work of a most wise Agent. The World consider'd in its several parts. The Sun in its situation, motion, and effects, declare the Providence of the Creator. The diurnal motion of the Sun from East to West is very beneficial to Nature. The annual course brings admirable advantage to it. The gradual passing of the sensible World, from the excess of heat to the extremity of cold, an effect of Providence. The constant revolutions of Day and Night, and of the Seasons of the Year, discovers that a wise Cause orders them.
IN the managing the present subject, I shall first propound such things as clearly discover that a Soveraign Spirit, rich in Goodness, most wise in Counsel, and powerful in Operation, gave being to the World, and Man in it. This part of my work may seem needless, because there are very few, if any, declared Atheists. As Monsters remain where they are born, in the desert sands of Africa, not seen, unless sought for; so there are some unnatural Enormities that conscious how execrable they are, conceal themselves in secret, and dare not appear in open view. And of all others, no impiety is so monstrous and fearful of publick discovery as Atheism. But, The fool saith in his heart, there is no God. He secretly whispers in contradiction to Nature, Reason, Conscience, Authorities, there is no supream invisible Power to whom he is accountable. And having thus concluded in the dark, he loses all reverence of the Divine Laws, and is only govern'd by the vicious rule of his carnal Appetites. That many in our times, even of the great Pretenders to Wit and Reason, are guilty of this extream folly, is sadly evident. They live, as absolute Atheists, only refuse the title, for fear of infamy, or punishment. It will therefore not be unseasonable to revive the natural notion of the Deity. Now to establish this Truth no Arguments are more convincing than what are level to all understandings. And those are,
I. The visible frame of the World, and the numerous natures in it, all model'd by this supream rule, the good of the whole.
II. The Evidences that prove the World had a beginning in time.
III. The universal sence of the Deity imprest on the minds of Men.
1. The first Reason is clear and intelligible to all: for 'tis the inseparable property of an intellectual Agent to propound an End, to judg of the convenience between the Means and it, and to contrive them in such a manner as to accomplish it. Now if we survey the Universe, and all the beings it contains, their proportion, dependence and harmony, it will fully appear that antecedently to its existence, there was a perfect mind that design'd it, and disposed the various parts in that exact order, that one beautiful World is compos'd of them. The*Vitruv. praef. lib. 6. Philosopher conjectured truly, who being shipwrackt on the Island of Rhodes, and come to the shore, spying some Mathematical figures drawn on the Sand, cryed out with joy, Vestigia hominum video, I see the foosteps of men, and comforted his dispairing companions, that they were not cast into a Desert, or a place of Savages, but of Men civil and wise, as he discover'd by those impressions of their minds. And if we observe the frame of the World, the concatenation of the superior with the middle, and of the middle with the lower parts, whereby 'tis not an accidental aggregation of bodies, but an intire universe; if we consider the just disposing them conveniently to their nature and dignity, the inferiour and less noble depending on the superiour, and that so many contrary natures, with that fidelity and league of mutual love embrace and assist each other, that every one working according to its peculiar quality, yet all unite their operations for one general end, the preservation and benefit of the whole, must not we strongly conclude that 'tis the work of a designing & most wise Agent?
Boet.—Pulchrum pulcherrimus ipse
Mundum mente gerens, similique ab imagine formans.
To make this more evident, I will produce some Instances.
The Sun, of all coelestial Bodies the most excellent in beauty and usefulness, does in its situation, motion, effects, publish the glory of a most wise Providence.
1. In its situation. The fountains of all his benefit to Nature are heat and light: with respect to its heat the Sun may well be call'd the Heart of the World, wherein all the vital Spirits are prepar'd; and 'tis so conveniently plac't, as to transmit more or less immediatly to all even the most distant parts of that vast body, by perpetual irradiations, the influences necessary for its preservation. It cannot be in another place without the disorder and injury of Universal Nature. If it were rais'd to the Stars, the Earth for want of its quickning heat would lose its prolifick vertue, and remain a carcass. The Air would be fill'd with continual oppressing vapours, the Sea would overflow the Land. If it were as low as the Moon, as dangerous effects would follow, The Air would be inflam'd by its excessive heat, the Sea boyling, the Rivers dryed up, every Mountain a Vesuvius or Aetna; the whole Earth a barren mass of Ashes, a desert of Arabia. But seated in the midst of the Planets, it purifies the Air, abates the superfluity of Waters, temperately warms the Earth, and keeps the Elements in such degrees of power, as are requisit for the activity of mixt bodies depending on them.
Besides, there is a sensible proof of a wise Director in its Motion, from whence so many and various effects proceed. The Diurnal Motion from East to West causes the Day. The Sun is the first spring and great original of Light, and by his presence discovers the beauties of the most of visible Objects. From hence all the pleasant variety of Colours, to which Light is the Soul that gives vivacity. Without it the World would be the Sepulcher of it self, nothing but silence and solitude, horror and Confusion. The Light guides our Journeys, awakens and directs our Industry, preserves mutual Conversation. And the withdrawing of the Sun from one Hemisphere to another is as beneficial to the World by causing Night. For that has peculiar advantages. Its darkness inlightens us to see the Stars, and to understand their admirable Order, Aspects, Influences, their Conjunction, Distances, Opposition, from which proceeds their different effects in all passive Bodies. Now what can be more pleasant than the Ornaments and Diversities of these Twins of time? Besides, by this distinction of the Day and Night there is a fit succession of labour and rest, of the Works and Thoughts of Men, those proper to the Day, active and clear, the other to the Night, whose obscurity prevents the wandring of the mind through the senses, and silence favours its calm contemplations.
And the constant revolution of Day and Night in the space of twenty four hours is of great benefit. If they should continue six entire Months together, as under the Poles, though their space would be equal in the compass of the Year as now, yet with publick disadvantage. The shining of the Sun without intermission, would be very hurtful to the Earth, and to its Inhabitants. And its long absence would cause equal mischeifs by contrary qualities. For the nature of Man and other living Creatures cannot subsist long in travail without repairing their decays by rest. Now the succession of Day and Night in that space, fitly tempers their labour and repose. After the toilsom service of the Day, the Sun retires behind the Earth, and the Night procures a truce from business, unbends the World, and invites to rest in its deep silence and tranquillity. And by sleep, when the animal operations cease, the Spirits that were much consum'd in the service of the senses, are renewed, and united in assistance to the vital faculties, the Body is restored, and at the springing Day made fresh and active for new labour. So that the wisdom of the Creatour is as visible in the manner of this dispensation, as the thing it self. And 'tis an observable point of Providence in ordering the length and shortness of Days and Nights for the good of the several parts of the World. Under the Equinoctial Line the Earth being parcht by the direct beams of the Sun, the nights are regularly twelve hours through the Year, fresh and moist to remedy that inconvenience: On the contrary, in the northern parts, where there is a fainter reflection of its Beams, the Days are very long, that the Sun may supply by its continuance, what is defective in its vigour to ripen the fruits of the Earth.
The annual course of the Sun between the North and South discovers also the high and admirable wisdom of God. For all the benefits that Nature receives, *Obliquitatem ejus intellexisse, est rerum fores aperuisse. Plin.depends on his unerring constant motion through the same Circle declining and oblique, with respect to the Poles of the World. 'Tis not possible that more can be done with less. From hence proceeds the difference of Climates, the inequality of Days and Nights, the variety of Seasons, the diverse mixtures of the first qualities, the universal Instruments of natural Productions. In the Spring 'tis in conjunction with the Pleiades, to cause sweet showers, that are as milk to nourish the new-born tender plants, that hang at the breasts of the Earth. In the Summer 'tis joyn'd with the Dog-Star, to redouble its force, for the production of Fruits necessary to the support of living Creatures. And Winter, that in appearance is the death of Nature, yet is of admirable use for the good of the Universe. The Earth is clensed, moistened and prepar'd, so that our hopes of the succeeding Year depends on the Frosts and Snows of Winter.
If the Sun in its diurnal and annual motion were so swift that the Year were compleated in six Months, and the Day and Night in twelve hours, the fruits of the Earth would want a necessary space to ripen. If on the contrary it were so slow as double the time were spent in its return, the Harvest but once gather'd in the twenty four Months, could not suffice for the nourishment of living Creatures.
'Tis also a considerable effect of Providence, that the sensible World do's not suddenly pass from the highest degrees of heat to the extremity of cold, nor from this to that, but so gradually that the passage is not only tolerable, but pleasant. Immediate extreams are very dangerous to Nature. To prevent that inconvenience the Spring interposes between the Winter and Summer, by its gentle heat disposing living bodies for the excess of Summer. And Autumn of a middle quality prepares them for the rigour of Winter; that they may pass from one to another without violent alteration.
To attribute these revolutions, so just and uniform to Chance is the perfection of folly, *foreign. Arist.for Chance, as a cause that works without design, has no constancy nor order in its effects. If a Dy be thrown a hundred times, the fall is contingent, and rarely happens to be twice together on the same square. Now the Alternate returns of Day and Night are perpetual in all the Regions of the Universe. And though neither the one nor the other begin nor end their course, twice together in the same Point; so that their motion appears confused, yet tis so just, that at the finishing of the Year they are found to have taken precisely as many paces the one as the other. In the amiable Warr beween them, though one of the two always gets, and the other loses the hours, yet in the end they retire equal. And the vicissitudes of Seasons with an inviolable tenor succeed one another. Who ever saw the various Scenes of a Theater move by hazard in those just spaces of time, as to represent Palaces, or Woods, Rocks and Seas, as the subject of the Actors requir'd? And can the lower World four times in the circle of the Year change appearance, and alter the Seasons so conveniently to the use of Nature, and no powerful Mind direct that great work? frequent discoveries of an end orderly pursued, must be attributed to a judicious Agent. The Psalmist guided not only by Inspiration but Reason, declares, The Day is thine, the Night also is thine, thou madest the Summer and Winter. But this I shall have occasion to touch on afterward.