Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- CHAP. I STATE OF THE ARGUMENT
- CHAP. II STATE OF THE ARGUMENT CONTINUED
- CHAP. III APPLICATION OF THE ARGUMENT
- CHAP. IV OF THE SUCCESSION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
- CHAP. V APPLICATION OF THE ARGUMENT CONTINUED
- CHAP. VI THE ARGUMENT CUMULATIVE
- CHAP. VII OF THE MECHANICAL AND IMMECHANICAL FUNCTIONS OF ANIMALS AND VEGETABLES
- CHAP. VIII OF MECHANICAL ARRANGEME'NT IN THE HUMAN FRAME—OF THE BONES
- CHAP. IX OF THE MUSCLES
- CHAP. X OF THE VESSELS OF ANIMAL BODIES
- CHAP. XI OF THE ANIMAL STRUCTURE REGARDED AS A MASS
- CHAP. XII COMPARATIVE ANATOMY
- CHAP. XIII PECULIAR ORGANIZATIONS
- CHAP. XIV PROSPECTIVE CONTRIVANCES
- CHAP. XV RELATIONS
- CHAP. XVI COMPENSATIONS
- CHAP. XVII THE RELATION OF ANIMATED BODIES TO INANIMATE NATURE
- CHAP. XVIII INSTINCTS
- CHAP. XIX OF INSECTS
- CHAP. XX OF PLANTS
- CHAP. XXI OF THE ELEMENTS
- CHAP. XXII ASTRONOMY
- CHAP. XXIII PERSONALITY OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXIV OF THE NATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXV OF THE UNITY OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXVI THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXVII CONCLUSION
CHAP. XXVI - THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- CHAP. I STATE OF THE ARGUMENT
- CHAP. II STATE OF THE ARGUMENT CONTINUED
- CHAP. III APPLICATION OF THE ARGUMENT
- CHAP. IV OF THE SUCCESSION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
- CHAP. V APPLICATION OF THE ARGUMENT CONTINUED
- CHAP. VI THE ARGUMENT CUMULATIVE
- CHAP. VII OF THE MECHANICAL AND IMMECHANICAL FUNCTIONS OF ANIMALS AND VEGETABLES
- CHAP. VIII OF MECHANICAL ARRANGEME'NT IN THE HUMAN FRAME—OF THE BONES
- CHAP. IX OF THE MUSCLES
- CHAP. X OF THE VESSELS OF ANIMAL BODIES
- CHAP. XI OF THE ANIMAL STRUCTURE REGARDED AS A MASS
- CHAP. XII COMPARATIVE ANATOMY
- CHAP. XIII PECULIAR ORGANIZATIONS
- CHAP. XIV PROSPECTIVE CONTRIVANCES
- CHAP. XV RELATIONS
- CHAP. XVI COMPENSATIONS
- CHAP. XVII THE RELATION OF ANIMATED BODIES TO INANIMATE NATURE
- CHAP. XVIII INSTINCTS
- CHAP. XIX OF INSECTS
- CHAP. XX OF PLANTS
- CHAP. XXI OF THE ELEMENTS
- CHAP. XXII ASTRONOMY
- CHAP. XXIII PERSONALITY OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXIV OF THE NATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXV OF THE UNITY OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXVI THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXVII CONCLUSION
Summary
The proof of the divine goodnefs refts upon two proportions, each, as we contend, capable of being made out by obfervations drawn from the appearances of nature.
The firft is, “that, in a vaft plurality of inftances in which contrivance is perceived the defign of the contrivance is beneficial.”
The fecond, “that the Deity has fuperadded pleafure to animal fenfations, beyond what was neceffary for any other purpofe, or when the purpofe, fo far as it was neceffary, might have been effected by the operation of pain.”
Firft, “in a vaft plurality of inftances in which contrivance is perceived, the defign of the contrivance is beneficial.”
No productions of nature difplay contrivance fo manifeftly as the parts of animals; and the parts of animals have all of them, I believe, a real, and, with very few exceptions, all of them a known and intelligible, fubferviency to the ufe of the animal. Now, when the multitude of animals is confidered, the number of parts in each, their figure and fitnefs, the faculties depending upon them, the variety of fpecies, the complexity of ftructure, the fuccefs, in fo many cafes, and felicity of the refult, we can never reflect, without the profoundeft adoration, upon the character of that Being from whom all thefe things have proceeded: we cannot help acknowledging, what an exertion of benevolence creation was; of a benevolence, how minute in its care, how vaft in its comprehenfion.
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- Natural TheologyOr, Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity, Collected from the Appearances of Nature, pp. 488 - 571Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009