A Body of Divinity, Vol. 1 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger CatechismRidgley, Thomas
Religion
A Body of Divinity, Vol. 1 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger Catechism
“III. Nor, thirdly, would it bring any uncertainty into the argument,
if there were a few parts of the watch, concerning which we could not
discover, or had not yet discovered, in what manner they conduced to
the general effect; or even some parts, concerning which we could not
ascertain, whether they conduced to that effect in any manner
whatever. For, as to the first branch of the case; if, by the loss, or
disorder, or decay of the parts in question, the movement of the watch
were found in fact to be stopped, or disturbed or retarded, no doubt
would remain in our minds as to the utility or intention of these
parts, although we should be unable to investigate the manner
according to which, or the connection by which, the ultimate effect
depended upon their action or assistance: and the more complex is the
machine, the more likely is this obscurity to arise. Then, as to the
second thing supposed, namely, that there were parts which might be
spared without prejudice to the movement of the watch, and that we had
proved this by experiment; these superfluous parts, even if we were
completely assured that they were such, would not vacate the reasoning
which we had instituted concerning other parts. The indication of
contrivance remained, with respect to them, nearly as it was before.
“IV. Nor, fourthly, would any man in his senses think the existence of
the watch, with its various machinery, accounted for, by being told
that it was one out of possible combinations of material forms; that
whatever he had found in the place where he found the watch, must have
contained some internal configuration or other; and that this
configuration might be the structure now exhibited, _viz._ of the
works of a watch, as well as of a different structure.
“V. Nor, fifthly, would it yield his enquiry more satisfaction to be
answered, that there existed in things a principle of order, which had
disposed the parts of the watch into their present form and situation.
He never knew a watch made by the principle of order; nor can he even
form to himself an idea of what is meant by a principle of order,
distinct from the intelligence of the watch-maker.
“VI. Sixthly, he would be surprised to hear, that the mechanism of the
watch was no proof of contrivance, only a motive to induce the mind to
think so.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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