NATURAL THEOLOGY. 273 



the defect, of the convex lens to the flattened eye, 

 establish the certainty of the conclusion, that the 

 case, afterwards to arise, had been considered 

 beforehand, speculated upon, provided for? all 

 which are exclusively the acts of a reasoning 

 mind. The eye formed in one state, for use only 

 in another state, and in a difterent state, affords 

 a proof no less clear of destination to a future 

 purpose ; and a proof proportionably stronger, as 

 the machinery is more complicated, and the adap- 

 tation more exact. 



IV. What has been said of the eye, holds 

 equally true of the lungs. Composed of air- 

 vessels, where there is no air ; elaborately con- 

 structed for the alternate admission and expulsion 

 of an elastic fluid, where no such fluid exists; 

 this great organ, with the whole apparatus be- 

 longing to it, lies collapsed in the foetal thorax ; 

 yet in order, and in readiness for action, the 

 first moment that the occasion requires its ser- 

 vice. This is having a machine locked up in store 

 for future use ; which incontestably proves, that 

 the case was expected to occur in which this use 

 might be experienced ; but expectation is the pro- 

 per act of intelligence. Considering the state in 

 which an animal exists before its birth, I should 

 look for nothing less in its body than a system of 

 lungs. It is like finding a pair of bellows in the 

 bottom of the sea ; of no sort of use in the situa- 

 tion in which they are found : formed for an 

 action which was impossible to be exerted ; hold- 



