PREFACE

one might understand and perceive His eternal Power and Divinity through the creatures original: "Schepzelen".

In the same way, after the works of God are recounted in various verses of Psalm 104 in a sublime and soul-stirring manner, God's Wisdom is proven from them in verse 24: How great are your works, O Lord, you have made them all with wisdom.

Thus, to see His Power, the God of Heaven commands us not to seek out arguments from the depths of Philosophy the study of fundamental nature and existence, but only to lift one's eyes to His works. Isaiah 40:26: Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things; who brings out their host by number; who calls them all by name because of the greatness of His power; and because He is strong in might, not one is missing.

Likewise, His loving-kindness is demonstrated from His deeds in Psalm 107. And one sees (to cite no more) the Almighty Himself, in order to make His surpassing Glory recognized by everyone in Job 38, 39, 40, and 41, using an argument taken solely from His works. In many places in His Holy Word, He most emphatically exhorts people to contemplate the perfections in His works in this particular way. Thus one hears in Psalm 107:43, after a detailed account of His deeds, the Spirit of God finally makes this conclusion: Who is wise? Let him observe these things; and let them understandingly heed the loving-kindness of the Lord. From this it appears with all clarity that for this "understanding heeding," no fabricated suppositions are required, but rather an observation of the things themselves, which can only happen through experience. This is why the name Observationes observations is still commonly given in this time to that which becomes known to someone through experience.

Indeed, this exhortation to know God from His works goes so far that he who does not take notice of them is held to be irrational and foolish. Psalm 92:5-6 The text cites CVII: 6, 7 but quotes Psalm 92: O Lord, how great are your works! Your thoughts are very deep. An irrational man does not know this, nor does a fool understand it. This is also why the failure to investigate them is placed by the Spirit of God among the causes of Atheisterye atheism, in Psalm 10:4: The ungodly original: "Godt-loose" does not investigate; all his thoughts are that there is no God.

§ 29. Now, having understood all this, one could proceed to the contemplations of the world and the perfections of God shining forth in its composition, parts, and movements; were it not that what follows seems to require that one first show in what manner a proof can be constructed from the visible world—and what is seen to happen within it—through which one can be calm and assured: First, that there is a God, that is, a Wise, Powerful, and Benevolent Maker and Ruler of all. And second, that the Bible (His revealed word) is of a supra-human and Divine origin.

To put a method of proof for the first to the test, I shall—without letting myself into any further clutter of deep-thinking speculations after the manner of some philosophers—request of everyone, whoever he may be, that he please sit down in silence with a calm mind, casting off his passions and prejudices, and think seriously: First:

If he saw that:
1. Not one, but very many,
2. And diverse,
3. Things, entirely unconscious of themselves and all else,
4. Each often in a particular manner,
5. Yet, however, constantly, unchangeably, and according to the same rule,
6. Not once, but in a multitude of cases and times, were working and moved;
7. And without any single one of them all being able to give this movement to itself,
8. Also without them being able to come together thus of their own accord to bring forth an effect beyond their own knowledge;
9. Which effect, if even a few, or often just one of them were missing, or not in that perfection, could not be brought forth at all;
10. Although the same effect is in itself of great service and utility, and often of a very weighty use;

Could he judge otherwise than that all these things were made for that end, and brought together with that purpose, to work out what he sees happening through them?

And second:
If this first part is true, since these things in themselves are ignorant and unknowing of everything; must not everyone admit that these have all been brought forth and brought together by a wise and self-understanding Maker who intended this end through them? And could anyone convince himself that in all this only a blind chance, or other causes, and unconscious natuurwetten laws of nature that work without intellect, have taken place; and could have steered these things in all their circumstances and movements to this end?

To be persuaded of this in a clearer and no less certain way, let us apply what was just proposed generally and somewhat abstractly to something specific, and suppose: that in the midst of sandy dunes, or in another lonely and desolate place where few people are accustomed to come, someone finds a Sak-Horologie pocket watch which points out the hours, minutes, and day of the month. Examining this, he sees that so many various small wheels and pinions fit together precisely with their teeth on the—