178 Natural Theology. 



remaining lectures will be devoted mainly to the 

 provisions in nature for the intellectual and moral 

 constitution of man, and to the Bible as a part of 

 those provisions. 



But before we consider these higher adaptations, 

 we wish to go further still in our investigation of 

 the physical universe, that we may see that we can 

 reach no depth where evidence of the being and 

 character of God is not found. As we commenced 

 with man, and have followed organic life through 

 the animal and vegetable kingdoms, we come, natu- 

 rally, in our course, to the chemical elements which 

 make up, not only the earth, but all of those beings 

 we have been considering. 



The argument for design certainly would be con- 

 clusive, if the science of chemistry were unknown. 

 That argument can rest on the collocation of mat- 

 ter alone ; on results worked out by means of it. 

 A curiously constructed machine might be studied 

 in reference to the end for which it was made, with- 

 out any knowledge of the materials of which it was 

 composed. The hands of a watch, marking the 

 hours, minutes, and seconds, upon the dial-plate, 

 would be to us proof of design, though we had never 

 looked beneath the dial-plate to learn the material 

 or even the combination of wheels and springs by 

 which the result is secured. In fact, all the different 

 kinds of clocks and watches equally show design 

 although no one can tell how much skill has been 

 manifested in their construction till he sees the 

 work, or witnesses the results. 



