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Title:  The life of John Buncle: Esq; containing various observations and reflections, made in several parts of the world; and many extraordinary relations.
Author: Amory, Thomas, 1691?-1788?
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by the immediate finger of God; either operating on the abyss, tho' not so as to make the water break out on the earth; or by di∣recting the electrical violence or stroke; or otherwise acting on the ruined cities and shattered places.33. A reflexion on second causes, and the Deity's being not only at the head of na∣ture, but in every part of it. For my part, I think it is a grievous mistake in our philosophical enquiries, to as∣sign so much to second causes as the learned do. The government of the universe is gi∣ven to matter and motion, and under pre∣tence of extolling original contrivance, the execution of all is left to dead substance. It is just and reasonable (even Newton and Mac∣laurin say) to suppose that the whole chain of causes, or the several series of them, should center in him, as their source and fountain; and the whole system appear depending upon him, the only independent cause. Now to me this supposition does not appear either just or reasonable. I think the noble phoeno∣mena of nature ought to be ascribed to the immediate operation of the Deity. Without looking for a subtile elastic medium, to pro∣duce gravity; which medium Sir Isaac con∣fesses he had no proof of; nor is there in reality such a thing in the universe; I ima∣gine the divine Newton would have done better, if, after establishing the true system of nature, by demonstrating the law of gra∣vity, he had said this gravity was the constant and undeniable evidence of the immediate in∣fluence0