Phœnomenon of Dreatning. 41

*he cause which produces them, must behving and intelligent (y); and that if theseAre not the effects of a cause that hath life,knowledge and contrivance, we must forever lose the distinction between the actionsof such a cause, and of a mechanical, ne-cessary cause, nor pretend in any other casewhatsoever, to determine by the effect, ofwhat kind the cause is. For, as has beensaid, allow the Sceptick but thus much,that such an instance of life, action, anddesign, is effected by the temerarious , surdjumble of dead atoms} and he knows nothow to use his advantage, if he cannot defyall the men in the world to establish upon

(?) It is only here meant that this argument is of thefame nature, and concludes upon the fame account, asthe arguments a posteriori , for a wife and powerful causeof the visible effects in the material world; though not ofthe fame force and conviction. And yet if it could beshewn, that but so much as the instance here assigned,Were possible to be effected, without a designing, livingcause, it is not conceivable that any thing could be amore convenient introduction to the sierceft, the Epicu-rean Atheism. If the principle, that the effect cannot beperfecter than its cause, could fail in this appearance ofdreams, no man can tell how far it might fail in all theP^rts of philosophy. All truth stands, or falls together*

him