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Physico-theology

Chapter 86: CHAP. I.
By W. Derham
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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.

CHAP. I.

That God’s Works are Great and Excellent.

The first Inference I shall make, shall be by way of Confirmation of the Text, That the Works of the Lord are great[a]. And this is necessary to be observed, not against the Atheist only, but all other careless, incurious Observers of God’s Works. Many of our useful Labours, and some of our best modern Books shall be condemned with only this Note of Reproach, That they are about trivial Matters[b], when in Truth they are ingenious and noble Discoveries of the Works of GOD. And how often will many own the World in general to be a Manifestation of the Infinite Creator, but look upon the several Parts thereof as only Toys and Trifles, scarce deserving their Regard? But in the foregoing (I may call it) transient View I have given of this lower, and most slighted Part of the Creation, I have, I hope, abundantly made out, that all the Works of the Lord, from the most regarded, admired, and praised, to the meanest and most slighted, are great and glorious Works, incomparably contrived, and as admirably made, fitted up, and placed in the World. So far then are any of the Works of the LORD, (even those esteemed the meanest) from deserving to be disregarded, or contemned by us[c], that on the contrary they deserve (as shall be shewn in the next Chapter) to be sought out, enquired after, and curiously and diligently pryed into by us; as I have shewed the Word in the Text implies.

FOOTNOTES:

[a] Equidem ne laudare quidem satìs pro merito possum ejus Sapientiam ac Potentiam, qui animalia fabricatus est. Nam ejusmodi opera non Laudibus modò, verùm etiam Hymnis sunt majora, quæ priusquam inspexissemus, fieri non posse persuasum habeamus, conspicati verò, falsos nos opinione fuisse comperimus. Galen. de Us. Part. L. 7. c. 15.

[b] Non tamen pigere debet Lectores, ea intelligere, quemadmodum ne Naturam quidem piguit ea reipsà efficere. Galen. ibid. L. 11. fin.

[c] An igitur etiamsi quemadmodum Natura hæc, & ejusmodi, summâ ratione ac providentiâ agere potuit, ita & nos imitari aliquando possemus? Ego verò existimo multis nostrum ne id quidem posse, neque enim artem Naturæ exponunt: Eo enim modo omnino eam admirarentur, Sin minùs, eam saltem non vitaperarent. Galen. ib. L. 10. c. 3.