Trees; or elfe that Trees were made and built by Men, as well as Houses. But fuppofing him to be a Man, he must be endowed with fuch a Natural Faculty, as upon farther confideration and experience, will quickly fatisfy him, That one of these was Natural, and the other Artificial; and that the Buildings were framed to that Elegance and Convenience by the Art and Skill of Men.

It would not at first seem credible to him, that a large Tree should proceed from a small Seed or Kernel: That an Egg fhould produce a Bird. And as for Man himself, he would not be able to have any conception of his true Original, how it could be poffible, that a Young Infant fhould be bred in his Mother's Womb, where it fhould continue for fo many Months inclofed in a bag of Water, without breathing; yet upon Experience these things would appear to him unquestionable, and of Natural Evidence.

From what hath been faid, it will follow, that fuch things are evident by Natural Light, which Men of a mature Age, in the ordinary use of their Faculties, with the common help of mutual Society, may know and be fufficiently affured of, without the help of any special Revelation. And when it is faid that the Notion of God is natural to theSoul, the meaning of it is, That there is fuch a Faculty in the Soul E 3.

of

of Man, whereby, upon the use of Reason, he can form within himself a fettled notion of fuch a first and fupreme Being, as is endowed with all poffible perfection. Which is all I fhall fay as to this firft Argument. I fhall be briefer, in the reft.

CHAP.

CHAP. V.

II. Arg. From the Original of the

World.

Othing can be more evident, than that this vifible Frame, which we call the World, was either from all Eternity, or elfe that it had a Beginning: And if it had a Beginning, this must be either from Chance or from fome wife Agent. Now if from clear Principles of Reason, it can be rendred more credible, that the World had a Beginning, and that from fome wife Agent: This may be another Argument to this purpose.

Sermon.

I cannot here omit the mention of a late Dr.TillotDiscourse, wherein this Subject hath been fofon's ift fully treated of, that I fhall need to say the lefs of it, having little that is material to add to what is there delivered.

In the difcufling of this, I fhall purposely omit the mention of thofe Arguments which relate to Infinity, as being not fo eafily intelligible, and therefore more apt to puzzle and amuse, than to convince. Let it be fup. pofed, that each of the two Theories, whether about the Eternity of the World, or its having a Beginning, are not impoffible, and that neither of them does imply a Contradiction,

E 4

of Man, whereby, upon the use of Reason, he can form within himself a fettled notion of fuch a first and fupreme Being, as is endowed with all poffible perfection. Which is all I fhall fay as to this firft Argument. Ifhall be briefer, in the reft.

CHAP.

World.

Othing can be more evident, than that this vifible Frame, which we call the World, was either from all Eternity, or elfe that it had a Beginning: And if it had a Beginning, this must be either from Chance or from fome wife Agent. Now if from clear Principles of Reafon, it can be rendred more credible, that the World had a Beginning, and that from fome wife Agent: This may be another Argument to this purpose.:

Sermon.

I cannot here omit the mention of a late Dr.TillotDiscourse, wherein this Subject hath been fofon's ift fully treated of, that I fhall need to say the lefs of it, having little that is material to add to what is there delivered.

In the difcufling of this, I fhall purposely omit the mention of thofe Arguments which relate to Infinity, as being not fo eafily intelligible, and therefore more apt to puzzle and amuse, than to convince. Let it be fup. pofed, that each of the two Theories, whether about the Eternity of the World, or its having a Beginning, are not impoffible, and that neither of them does imply a ContraE 4 diction,