* Ouap. 9. PHILOSOPHICAL DISCOVERIES. 377

their motions, and the weakness of the fun’s action at so greatdistances, their mutual actions, but for this precaution, wouldproduce the greatest disorders. Thus we always find, that whathas, at first fight, the appearance of irregularity and confusionin nature, is discovered, on further enquiry, to be the bestcontrivance and the most wise conduct.

Sir Isaac Newton proceeds to make some reflections on thenature of the supreme cause , and infers, from the structure ofthe vifible world, that it is governed by One Almighty , andAll-wise Being , who rules the world, not as its Soul but as itsLord , exercising an absolute sovereignty over the universe, notas over his vwn body but as over his work ; and acting in it ac-cording to his pleasure, without suffering any thing from it.What he has delivered concerning the Deity wjjl be further ex-plained in the next chapter.

C H A P. IX.

♦

Of the Supreme Author and Governor os the universe , the True

and Living God.

1 . ARisotle concludes his treatise demundo S with observing',•A that " to treat of the world without saying any thingos its Author would be impious as there is nothing we meetwith more frequently and constantly in nature, than the tracesof an All-governing Deity. And the philosopher who over-looks these, contenting himself with the appearances of the.material universe only, and the mechanical laws of motion,neglects what is most excellent; and prefers what is imperfectto what is supremely perfect, finitude to infinity, what is nar-row and weak to what is unlimited and almighty, and what isperishing to what endures for ever. Such who attend not to

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