lance which seems to be attained in the works of God. Thus many plants afford nourishment to animals, and at the fame time ferve for the increase and prefervation of the fpecies. They are confequently liable to be completely devoured, and but for the provident care of the Deity would be annihilated. This is prevented by their multitudinous production, and by various provifions for their prefervation and facility of growth. The same analogy is obfervable in animals. The more minute these are, and for that reafon very liable to perish, they are proportionally more numerous. The feeds of plants are analogous to the eggs of animals. Whatever in nature is most useful is most abundant. Now many of the minute feeds poffefs a power of vegetation which is very durable, and which feems to be almost inextinguishable. The eggs of animalculæ are capable of remaining a confiderable time, without bringing the embryon into life, until they meet with favourable circumftances. The furface of vegetables is covered with the minute and invifible eggs of microscopic animals; but as these animals are of the aquatic fpecies, they cannot be hatched without the application of water. As foon as they are immerfed in this fluid they become productive.

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The harmony which exists in all the various works of God is never deranged by the eccen tricity of fubordinate parts. If we look to the celeftial fyftem, does centrifugal force ever induce fuch excess, as to elude the general law by which all matter tends to one centre of gra vity? And is there not one general fubmiffion of all to the fimple law of nature, which gives motion and direction to the whole? In the various chemical proceffes, infinite attractions, combinations, repulfions, and folutions, are perpetually in action to produce infinite effects, which are all fubject to the first law. If any appetence of nature could by felf-combination or arrangement produce an individual species, that species would be at variance with generic laws. It is therefore impoffible to fuppose this arrangement and subordination could arife from any other caufe than one superior Agent; and this Agent can only be an omni, fcient and omnipotent God. If it be asked, whether eternal Prescience has predefigned the types and figures of things, and so exactly defined their improvements, as to fix their utmost boundaries? our reply is, undoubtedly. The doctrine we mean to advance is that there is nothing in nature fortuitous; and that, what, ever variations may arife, they are all fubjec

to unchangeable laws and reftrictions. Some infects are productive of feveral generations without the ufual procefs of renovation; yet thefe fucceffions are all limited, and never exceed the precife number affigned them. Can this be accident?

By attributing to the particles of matter any thing like appetency, if by that term we are to understand more than attractive or chemical affinity, we give volition; and as the particles of matter poffefs various affinities or attractions, and as some are repulfive, or incapable of affinity, fuch oppofite volitions would prevent all regular combination, and there would be perpetual conflicts. But if we suppose them only to act in conformity to the laws of na ture, or God, by which we mean the fame thing, they then act regularly and confiftently with the general plan of a fuperior Agent; of a divine Mind. To suppose different volitions would be to admit univerfal confufion. For what contradictions and oppofite agency would there not be in volition acting without fubor, dination? On this head it is neceffary that we fhould form diftinct ideas, that we may not attribute to matter powers which are foreign to its nature; for even if we admit that matter by various combinations may acquire thought,

yet it would be abfurd, and a contradiction, to suppose thought to be antecedent to fuch combinations. One of the arguments for the appetential power of nature is that of the increase of animal life by folitary production. But this only proves that nature has various modes of increase; for as this fucceffion is extremely limited, it can never be an argument for felf-generation, but directly the contrary. It is no more than a mode fimilar to that by which plants are increased by the offset or fucker. We can readily grant, that particles, infinitely minute, by a concretion of affinities, may form infinite combinations; for this is philofophically true; and for this we need not the work of ages. The whole system of animal life is reproduced by these efforts. The time of geftation in animals, though various, is long in few. Now the particles of the farina of plants are infinitely minute. The fame is applicable to animal life. But on this mysterious subject it is enough to remark, that particles equally minute, by accretion, by accumulation. and expanfion, produce a great effect of organization, and this without volition. All is the regular and natural effect of the law of nature, conforming to the model proposed by the unlimited mind of the Creator; in con

formity to that, and to his own invariable plan, they can only act. It is not poffible for the constituent particles of organized life to produce other effects than God is pleased to decree. The constituent principles follow the plan affigned them. Thus the conftituent principles of an animal can never become a plant, nor of a plant an animal; nor can animals have their properties mutable, and from a bird be converted into a fish; and the fame

law is undoubtedly univerfal. The volition is in the divine Mind, and nature acts uniformly by that direction, by an imparted energy, under a superintending influence.

Let us now proceed in the next place to fhew, that second caufes are not independent of the first, because they exhibit marks of subordination.

If we turn our eyes to the heavens, we fee a magnificent apparatus of regular design; and, while the secondary planets move round their primary, the whole goes on in fubfervience to the laws of gravity. Nay the very oppofite principles of centrifugal and centripetal force combine to produce regularity and general effect and this fublime concordance is the refult of great and more minute parts. The fame regularity is to be obferved in the whole