Physico-theology

Chapter 47: BOOK V.

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About This Book

A series of sixteen sermons presents a physico-theological demonstration of God's existence and attributes by examining natural phenomena. The author combines natural-history observations, microscopy, and philosophical argument to infer design and divine qualities from created order, addressing objections and drawing on earlier naturalists' findings. Sermon text is interwoven with extended notes and curious observations on plants, animals, geological forms, and the mechanics of living structures. The work aims to make empirical knowledge serve theological ends by showing how observable features of nature support claims about a creator's power, wisdom, and benevolence.

BOOK V.

A SURVEY of Man.

The first Genus of Animals that I shall take Notice of, shall be Man, who may justly claim the Precedence in our Discourse, inasmuch as God hath given him the Superiority in the Animal World; Gen. i. 26. And God said, Let us make Man in our Image, after our Likeness; and let them have Dominion over the Fish of the Sea, and over the Fowl of the Air, and over the Cattle, and over all the Earth, and over every creeping Thing that creepeth upon the Earth.

And as to Man, we have so excellent a Piece of Workmanship, such a Microcosm, such an Abridgment of the Creator’s Art in him, as is alone sufficient to demonstrate the Being and Attributes of GOD. Which will appear by considering the Soul and the Body of Man.