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that in fuch a conftitution of the Earth they could have no means nor inftruments of Mathematical Knowledge; there is great reafon to believe, that the period of the final Diffolution might overtake them, ere they would have known or had any Suspicion that they walked upon a round Ball. Must we therefore, to make this Convexity of the Earth discernible to the Eye, fuppofe a man to be lifted up a great height in the Air, that he may have a very spacious Horizon under one View? But then again, because of the distance, the convexity and gibbousness would vanish away; he would only fee below him a great circular Flat, as level to his thinking as the face of the Moon.. Are there then fuch ravishing Charms in a dull unvaried Flat, to make a sufficient compenfation for the chief things Deut. 33of the ancient Mountains, and for the precious things of 15. the lafting Hills? Nay we appeal to the fentence of Mankind; If a Land of Hills and Valleys has not more Pleasure too and Beauty than an uniform Flat? which Flat if ever it may be said to be very delightfull, is then only, when 'tis viewed from the top of a Hill. What were the Tempe of Theffaly, fo celebrated in ancient ftory for their unparallelled Hift. lib. pleasantness, but a Vale divided with a River and' terminated with Hills? Are not all the descriptions of Poets embellifh'd with fuch Ideas, when they would

Nn 2

Vide Eli.

an. var.

III.

would represent any places of Superlative Delight, any blissfull Seats of the Mufes or the Nymphs, any facred habitations of Gods or Goddeffes? They will never admit that a wide Flat can be pleasant, no not in the very Elyfian Fields; but those too must be diverfified with depreffed Valleys and fwelling Afcents. They cannot imagin†

*Virg Æn.6. At pater Anchises penitus convalle wirenti.

& ibid. Hoc fuperate jugum. & ib. Et tumulum cœpit.

+Flours worthy of Paradife, which not nice Art
In Beds and curious Knots, but Nature boon
Pour'd forth profufe on Hill and Dale and Plain.
Paradife Loft, lib. 4.

even Paradise to be a

place of Pleasure, nor

Heaven it felf to be l

Ibid. lib. 6.

For Earth hath this variety from Heaven Of Pleasure fituate in Hill and Dale.

Heaven without them.

Let this therefore be another Argument of the Divine Wisdom and Goodness, that the Surface of the Earth is not uniformly Convex (as many think it would naturally have been, if mechanically formed by a Chaos) but diftinguished with Mountains and Valleys, and furrowed from Pole to Pole with the Deep Channel of the Sea; and that because of the Tó BéλTor, it is better that it should be fo.

Give me leave to make one fhort Inference from what has been faid, which shall finish this present Discourse, and with it our Task for the Year. We have clearly discovered many Final Causes and

Characters

Characters of Wisdom and Contrivance in the Frame of the inanimate World; as well as in the Organical Fabrick of the Bodies of Animals. Now from hence ariseth a new and invincible Argument, that the present Frame of the World hath not existed from all Eternity. For fuch an usefulness of things or a fitness of means to Ends, as neither proceeds from the neceffity of their Beings, nor can happen to them by Chance, doth necessarily inferr that there was an Intelligent Being, which was the Author and Contriver of that Usefulness. We Serm. V. have formerly demonftrated, that the Body of a Man, which confifts of an incomprehensible variety of Parts, all admirably fitted for their peculiar Functions and the Confervation of the Whole, could no more be formed fortuitously; than the Eneis of Virgil, or any other long Poem with good Sense and just Measures, could be composed by the Casual Combinations of Letters. Now to pursue this Comparison; as it is utterly impoffible to be believed, that such a Poem may have been eternal, transcribed from Copy to Copy without any firft Author and Original: fo it is equally incredible and impoffible, that the Fabrick of Humane Bodies, which hath fuch excellent and Divine Artifice, and, if I may fo fay, fuch good Sense and true Syntax and harmonious Measures in its Conftitution,

fhould

1

Prov. 3.

fhould be propagated and transcribed from Father to Son without a firft Parent and Creator of it. An eternal usefulness of Things, an eternal Good Sense, cannot poffibly be conceived without an eternal Wisdom and Understanding. But that can be no other than that eternal and omnipotent God; that by Wisdom hath founded the Earth, and by UnderStanding hath established the Heavens: To whom be all Honour and Glory and Praise and Adoration from henceforth and for evermore. AMEN.

FINIS.

THE

CONTENTS.

TH

SERMON I

"HE Folly of Atheism, and (what is now called) Deism; even with Refpect to the Prefent Life.

Pfalm XIV. v. 1,

The Fool hath faid in his Heart, There is no God; they are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doth good.

Pag. 1

SER

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