FOOTNOTES:
[a] Galen having taken notice of the neat Distribution of the Nerves to the Muscles, and other Parts of the Face, cries out, Hæc enim fortunæ sunt opera! Cæterùm tum omnibus [partibus] immitti, tantosque esse singulos [nervos] magnitudine, quanta particulæ erat necesse; haud scio an hominum sit sobriorum ad Fortunam opisicem id revocare. Alioqui quid tandem erit, quod cum Providentiâ & Arte efficitur? Omnino enim hoc ei contrarium esse debet, quod Casu ac Fortuitò fit. And afterwards, Hæc quidem atque ejusmodi Artis scil. ac Sapientiæ opera esse dicemus, si modò Fortunæ tribuenda sunt quæ sunt contraria; fietque jam quod in proverbiis——Fluvii sursum fluent; si opera quæ nullum habent neque ornamentum neque rationem, neque modum Artis esse; contraria verò Fortunæ duxerimus, &c. Galen. ubi supra. L. 11. c. 7.
[] Primùm esse Deos, quod in omnium animis, &c. And a little after, Cùm enim non instituto aliquo, aut more, aut lege sit opinio constituta, maneatque ad unum omnium firma consensio, intelligi necesse est, esse Deos, quoniam insitas eorum vel potiùs innatas cognitiones habemus. De quo autem omnium Natura consentit, id verum esse necesse est. Esse igitur Deos confitendum est. Cicer. de Nat. Deor. L. 1. c. 16. 17.
[c] The Atheist in denying a God, doth, as Plutarch saith, endeavour——immobilia movere, & bellum inferre non tantùm longo tempori, sed & multis hominibus, gentibus, & familiis, quas religiosus Deorum cultus, quasi divino furore correptas, tenuit. Plutar. de Iside.
[d] See before [Note (b).]
[e] Galen having substantially refuted the Epicurean Principles of Asclepiades, by shewing his Ignorance in Anatomy and Philosophy, and by Demonstrating all the Causes to be evidently in the Works of Nature, viz. Final, Efficient, Instrumental, Material and Formal Causes, concludes thus against his fortuitous Atoms, ex quibus intelligi potest: Conditorem nostrum in formandis particulis unum hunc sequi scopum, nempe ut quod melius est eligat. Galen. de Us. Part. L. 6. c. 13.
[f] De Gubern. Dei. L. 4. p. 124. meo Libro; also L. 7. c. 14.
CHAP. IV.
That God’s Works ought to excite us to Fear and Obedience to God.
Since the Works of the Creation are all of them so many Demonstrations of the infinite Wisdom and Power of God, they may serve to us as so many Arguments exciting us to the constant Fear of God, and to a steady, hearty Obedience to all his Laws. And thus we may make these Works as serviceable to our spiritual Interest, as they all are to our Life, and temporal Interest. For if whenever we see them, we would consider that these are the Works of our infinite Lord and Master, to whom we are to be accountable for all our Thoughts, Words and Works, and that in these we may see his infinite Power and Wisdom; this would check us in Sinning, and excite us to serve and please him who is above all Controul, and who hath our Life and whole Happiness in his Power. After this manner GOD himself argues with his own foolish People, and without Understanding, who had Eyes, and saw not, and had Ears, and heard not, Jer. v. 21, 22. Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my Presence, which have placed the Sand for the Bound of the Sea, by a perpetual Decree, that it cannot pass it; and though the Waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
This was an Argument that the most ignorant, stupid Wretches could not but apprehend; that a Being that had so vast and unruly an Element, as the Sea, absolutely at his Command, ought to be feared and obeyed; and that he ought to be considered as the Sovereign Lord of the World, on whom the World’s Prosperity and Happiness did wholly depend; v. 24. Neither say they in their Heart, let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth Rain, both the former and the latter in his Season: He reserveth unto us the appointed Weeks of the Harvest.
CHAP. V.
That God’s Works ought to excite us to Thankfulness.
As the Demonstrations which GOD hath given of his infinite Power and Wisdom should excite us to Fear and Obedience; so I shall shew in this Chapter, that the Demonstrations which he hath given of his infinite Goodness in his Works, may excite us to due Thankfulness and Praise. It appears throughout the foregoing Survey, what Kindness GOD hath shewn to his Creatures in providing every Thing conducing to their Life, Prosperity, and Happiness[a]; how they are all contrived and made in the best Manner, placed in the fittest Places of the World for their Habitation and Comfort; accoutered in the best Manner, and accommodated with every, even all the minutest Things that may minister to their Health, Happiness, Office, Occasions, and Business in the World.
Upon which Account, Thankfulness and Praise is so reasonable, so just a Debt to the Creator, that the Psalmist calleth upon all the Creatures to praise God, in Psalm cxlviii. Praise him all his Angels, Praise him all his Hosts; Sun, Moon, Stars of Light, Heavens of Heavens, and Waters above the Heavens. The Reason given for which is, ℣. 5, 6. For he commanded, and they were created; he hath also established them for ever and ever; he hath made a Decree which they shall not pass. And not these Celestials alone, but the Creatures of the Earth and Waters too, even the Meteors, Fire and Hail, Snow and Vapours, stormy Winds fulfilling his Word. Yea, the very Mountains and Hills, Trees, Beasts, and all Cattle, creeping Things, and flying Fowl. But in a particular manner, all the Ranks and Orders, all the Ages and Sexes of Mankind are charged with this Duty; Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for his Name alone is excellent; his Glory is above the Earth and Heavens, ℣. 13.
And great Reason there is we should be excited to true and unfeigned Thankfulness and Praise[] to this our great Benefactor, if we reflect upon what hath been shewn in the preceding Survey, that the Creator hath done for Man alone, without any regard to the rest of the Creatures, which some have held were made for the Sake of Man. Let us but reflect upon the Excellence and Immortality of our Soul; the incomparable Contrivance, and curious Structure of our Body; and the Care and Caution taken for the Security and Happiness of our State, and we shall find, that among the whole Race of Beings, Man hath especial Reason to magnify the Creator’s Goodness, and with suitable ardent Affections to be thankful unto him.