respondence of the
whole--I say, if we consider all these things, and at the same time
attend to the import of the attributes, one eternal, infinitely wise,
good, and perfect, we shall clearly perceive that they belong to the
aforesaid Spirit, who works all in all, and by whom all things consist.

Hence it is evident that God is known as certainly and immediately as
any other mind or spirit whatsoever, distinct from ourselves. We may
even assert that the existence of God is far more evidently perceived
than the existence of men, because the effects of Nature are infinitely
more numerous and considerable than those ascribed to human agents.
There is not any one mark that denotes a man, or effect produced by him,
which does not more strongly evince the being of that Spirit who is the
Author of Nature.

It seems to be a general pretence of the unthinking herd that they
cannot see God. Could we but see Him, say they, as we see a man, we
should believe that He is, and, believing, obey His commands. But we
need only open our eyes to see the sovereign Lord of all things with a
more full and clear view than we do any one of our fellow-creatures. We
do not see a man, if by "man" is meant that which lives, moves,
perceives, and thinks as we do; but only such a collection of ideas as
directs us to think there is a distinct principle of thought and motion
like to ourselves, accompanying and represented by it. And after the
same manner we see God.

Men are surrounded with such clear manifestations of Deity, yet are so
little affected by them that they seem, as it were, blinded with excess
of light.

* * * * *

DESCARTES

DISCOURSE ON METHOD

Rene Descartes was born March 31, 1596, at La Haye, in the
ancient province of Touraine, France, of a noble family of
Touraine; and was educated at the College of La Fleche by the
Jesuits. The decisive crisis of his life arrived in 1619,
while he was serving as a volunteer with Prince Maurice of
Nassau, and the next nine years may be regarded as the period
of his formation. The most fruitful years of his life were
spent in Holland, whence he made occasional excursions into
France, and perhaps paid a visit to England. In 1633 he
finished his treatise on "The World; or on Light," an epitome
of his "Physics," which, however, he deemed it wise, in view
of Galileo's fate, to withhold from publ