OF THE FIRST PART.

General invocation-First Proof of the Existence of God,
drawn from the Creation of the World The Ariftotelian
fem of the World's Eternity, an objection to that proof-
That fyftem ftated-and refuted-1ft, From the lateness of
: Hiftory, Arts, Sciences, &c. ·2dly, From the imperfect
State of Geography-3dly, From the little alteration that is
vifible in thofe objects, which are subject to corruption and
decay.- Second Proof of God's Exiflence drawn from the
impoffibility of any thing making itself—which introduces
the Epicurean fyftem—Epicurus's objections to the Wisdóm of
God in the Creation ftated-and refuted.-Third Proof of the
Exiftence of God drawn from the force of Confcience-An
Apostrophe to Confcience.-Fourth Proof of the Existence of
a God drawn from univerfal Confent-inftanced in Pagans-
Mahometans-Chriftians-A Prayer for the Univerfality
of the Chriftian Religion..

PART

Block. 3-7.41 42276

PART

I*.

Ο Ν THE

EXISTENCE

OF

O

THOU, who fhrined in beams of pureft light,.
Encircled by the bright Angelic host,

* And touch my lips with fire. Then shall the Muse
Difdain all humbler themes; and foaring far
Above the vapours of this earthly sphere,
Sound an Arch-angel's trumpet, and proclaim,
'I AM, who was, and is, and is to come.'
Sceptic, if never yet thine eye furvey'd
Yon bright empyreal; if thy mind ne'er rov'd
O'er Æther's fpacious plains; look up,
and tell
From what exhauftlefs ftream the Lord of Day
Drinks never-wafting fire; what hidden power
Wheels the bright planets round their central orb?
Who bids the filent moon with fober pace
Steal o'er the ferene azure; and with ftars
Spangles the vault of night? Who told the clouds
To drop rich moisture on the thirsty foil?
Who fhap'd the lightning's nimble wing, and rais’d
The thunder's awful voice ?-At thy command,

* Then flew one of the Seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand and he laid it upon my mouth, and faid, This hath touched thy lips

ISAIAH vi. 6, 7.

Great

Great Architect, at thy creative word,

Up from the vast and shapeless chaos rose
Harmonious Order. Thee, Thee, mighty Lord,
Even to the center of the formlefs void

Confufion heard; and, with her thousand tongues,
'At thy ftrong bidding,' Difcord funk to rest.

'Twas then, then firft, from Night's ungenial womb,
With all her hills, her vales, and founding floods,
This goodly Planet sprung: then first the earth
Smiled with delicious verdure; fruit and flower
Scatter'd fresh odours thro' the fragrant air;
The vast deep roar'd; and on the mountain's brow
The waving foreft rear'd his ftately head.

Or shall we rather fay, this antient globe,
An emanation, which the Eternal Mind
By Fate, not Freedom, from his effence fhed,
With Him coæval, and with Him to endure,

Runs on a ceaseless round ?—Such was the tale,

That in Lyceum, by the hallow'd grove

Of Academe, the fubtle Stagyrite

[ 8 ]

Told his admiring tribe; and drew their minds

From the First Good, First Perfect, and First Fair,
To idle dreams of vain philosophy.

Dreams, which nor haunted on Hydaspes' bank
The frantic Brachman; nor Phoenician feers
Vers'd in high pedigree, and antient lore;
Nor Memphian, tho' the wonder-working Priest
In mystic symbols 'grav'd on many a stone
Her fabulous annals. Let proud Pekin's fons
Trace her dark records thro' a thousand kings;
But shall that haughty empire date her birth
Ere Time his course began ?-Go, ask of Earth,
Have thy steep hills for ever pierc'd the skies?
Afk of the Deep, if fince his howling waves
Dash'd the rough rock, eternal years have roll'd?
Enquire, if Everlasting be his name ?

* Where, if this globe's eternal, where are all Her Kings, her Patriots? Where, alas! are allHer antient monuments of arts, and arms,

* Lucretius, Lib. v.

And