PHYSICO-THEOLOGY
Transcriber’s Note: Due to the age of this book, spelling, grammar, hyphenation, capitalization etc do not conform to modern standards, and in many cases are not even consistent within the text itself. Text has been retained as printed. Exceptions were made for a few extremely obvious printer’s errors (such as RAEDER for READER in the heading TO THE READER, and confusion between similar-looking Hebrew letters).
PHYSICO-THEOLOGY:
OR, A
DEMONSTRATION
OF THE
Being and Attributes of GOD,
FROM HIS
Works of Creation.
Being the Substance of
Sixteen SERMONS
Preached in St. Mary-le-Bow-Church, London;
At the Honourable Mr. BOYLE’s Lectures,
in the Years 1711, and 1712.
With large Notes, and many curious Observations.
By W: DERHAM, Canon of Windsor, Rector of Upminster in Essex, and F. R. S.
Mala & impia consuetudo est contra Deos disputare, sive animo id fit, sive simulatè. Cicer. de Nat. Deor. L. 2. fine.
The Fifth Edition, more Correct than any of the former.
LONDON: Printed for W. and J. Innys, at the
Prince’s-Arms the West End of St. Paul’s. 1720.
TO THE
Most Reverend Father in GOD,
THOMAS,
Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.
Primate of all ENGLAND, &c.
The Surviving Trustee of the Honourable Mr. BOYLE’s Lectures.
May it please Your Grace,
I may justly put these Lectures under your Graces Patronage, their Publication being wholly owing to You: For having the Honour to be a Member of the Royal Society, as well as a Divine, I was minded to try what I could do towards the Improvement of Philosophical Matters to Theological Uses; and accordingly laid a Scheme of what I have here published a Part of, and when I had little else to do, I drew up what I had to say, making it rather the diverting Exercises of my Leisure Hours, than more serious Theological Studies. This Work, (although I made a considerable Progress in it at first, whilst a Novelty, yet) having no Thoughts of Publishing, I laid aside, until your Grace, being informed of my Design by some of my Learned Friends, both of the Clergy and Laity, was pleased to call me to the unexpected Honour of Preaching Mr. Boyle’s Lectures: An Honour I was little aware of in my Country-Privacy, and not much acquainted with Persons in high Stations, and not at all, particularly, with your Grace. So that therefore as it pleased your Grace, not only to confer an unsought profitable Honour upon me (a Stranger) but also to continue it for Two Years, out of Your good Opinion of my Performance, in some measure, answering Mr. Boyle’s End; so I can do no less than make this publick, grateful Acknowledgment of your Grace’s great and unexpected Favour.
But it is not my self alone; but the whole Lecture also is beholden to your Grace’s kind and pious Endeavours. It was You that encouraged this noble Charity, and assisted in the Settlement of it, in the Honourable Founder’s Life-time; and since his Death, it was You that procured a more certain Salary for the Lecturers, paid more constantly and duly than it was before[a].
These Benefits as I my self have been a Sharer of, so I should be very ungrateful should I not duly acknowledge, and repay with my repeated Thanks and good Wishes And that the infinite Rewarder of well-doing may give Your Grace a plentiful Reward of these, and Your many other, both Publick and Private Benefactions, is the hearty Wish of,
Your Grace’s
Most Humble and Thankful
Son and Servant,
W. Derham.