Grant that the deep this foreign sovereign owns, How does she rule the rolling waves and guide, That it should flow no more, no more retire, BOOK II. THE ARGUMENT. The introduction. The numerous and important blessings of religion. The existence of a GOD demonstrated, from the wisdom and design which appear in the motions of the heavenly orbs; but more particularly in the solar system. i. In the situation of the sun, and its due distance from the earth. The fatal consequences of its having been placed otherwise than it is. 2. In its diurnal motion, whence the change of day and night proceeds: then in its annual motion, whence arise the different degrees of heat and cold. The confinement of the sun between the tropics, not to be accounted for by any philosophical hypothesis. The difficulties of the same, if the earth moves, and the sun rests. The spring of the sun's motion, not to be explained by any irre. ligious philosophy. The contemplation of the solar light, and the uses made of it for the end proposed. The appearances in the solar system not to be solved, but by asserting a GOD. The systems of Ptolemy, Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, and Kepler, considered. The solar system described, and compared with the fixed stars, which are supposed centres of the like systems. Reflections on that comparison. The hypothesis of Epicurus, in relation to the motion of the sun. Wisdom and design disco. vered in the air; in its useful structure, its elasticity, its various meteors; the wind, the rain, thunder, and lightning. A short contemplation of the vegetable kind. CARUS,* by hardy Epicurus taught, From Greece to Rome his impious system brought; * Titus Lucretius Carus; whose philosophical poem, De natura rerum, is sufficiently known. Then war with heaven he did insulting wage, We grant, a train of mischiefs oft proceeds Extol his goodness, and revere his power; Tyrants to thee a change of nature owe, Ambitious conquerors in their mad career, Check'd by thy voice lay down the sword and spear. Scornful of Heaven, subdued or won by thee, With amorous language, and bewitching smiles, Hung on his neck, and languish'd on his breast; Courted with freedom now the beauteous slave, Now flattering sued, and threatening, now did rave; But not the various eloquence of love, Nor power enrag'd, could his fix'd virtue move. See, aw'd by Heaven, the blooming Hebrew flies Her artful tongue, and more persuasive eyes; And, springing from her disappointed arms, Prefers a dungeon to forbidden charms. Stedfast in virtue's and his country's cause, The' illustrious founder of the Jewish laws, Who, taught by Heaven, at genuine greatness aim'd, With worthy pride imperial blood disclaim'd; The' alluring hopes of Pharaoh's throne resign'd, And the vain pleasures of a court declin'd; Pleas'd with obscure recess, to ease the pains Of Jacob's race, and break their servile chains; Such generous minds are form'd where bless'd religion reigns. Ye friends of Epicurus, look around, All nature view with marks of prudence crown'd Mind the wise ends, which proper means promote; See how the different parts for different use are wrought; Contemplate all this conduct and design, Regard the orb sublime, in ether borne, Which the blue regions of the skies adorn; Compar'd with whose extent, this low-hung ball, Shrunk to a point, is despicably small : Their number, (counting those the' unaided eye With those which in the adverse hemisphere, When twice ten thousand men, depriv'd of sight, |