so
built up a whole literature of _un_reason, which remains to this day, a
doleful monument of human folly and superstition.

But is not this too true of some at least of us in this very day? Must
not people now see signs and wonders before they believe in God?

Do they not consider whatever is strange and inexplicable, as coming
immediately from God? While whatever they are accustomed to, or fancy
that they can explain, they consider comes in what they call the course
of nature, without God's having anything to do with it?

If a man drops down dead, they say he died "by the hand of God," or "by
the visitation of God:" as if any created thing or being could die, or
live either, save by the will and presence of God: as if a sparrow could
fall to the ground without our Father's knowledge. But so it is; because
men's hearts are far from God.

If an earthquake swallowed up half London this very day, how many would
be ready to cry, "Here is a visitation of God. Here is the immediate
hand of God. Perhaps Christ is coming, and the end of the world at
hand." And yet they will not see the true visitation, the immediate hand
of God, in every drop of rain which comes down from heaven; and returneth
not again void, but gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater. But
so it always has been. Men used to see God and His power and glory
almost exclusively in comets, auroras, earthquakes. It was not so very
long ago, that the birth of monstrous or misshapen animals, and all other
prodigies, as they were called, were carefully noted down, and talked of
far and wide, as signs of God's anger, presages of some coming
calamity.--Atheists while they are in safety, superstitious when they are
in danger--Requiring signs and wonders to make them believe--Interested
only in what is uncommon and seems to break God's laws--Careless about
what is common, and far more wonderful, because it fulfils God's
laws--Such have most men been for ages, and will be, perhaps, to the end;
shewing themselves, in that respect, carnal and no wiser than dumb
animals.

For it is carnal, animal and brutish, and a sign of want of true
civilization, as well as of true faith, only to be interested and
surprised by what is strange; like dumb beasts, who, if they see anything
new, are attracted by it and frightened by it, at the same time: but who,
when once they are accustomed to it, and have found out that it will do
them no harm, are too stupid to feel