view by any particular finite collection of sensible ideas, as human
agents are by their size, complexion, limbs, and motions. And thirdly,
because His operations are regular and uniform. Whenever the course of
nature is interrupted by a miracle, men are ready to own the
presence of a superior agent. But, when we see things go on in the
ordinary course they do not excite in us any reflexion; their order
and concatenation, though it be an argument of the greatest wisdom,
power, and goodness in their creator, is yet so constant and
familiar to us that we do not think them the immediate effects of a
Free Spirit; especially since inconsistency and mutability in
acting, though it be an imperfection, is looked on as a mark of
freedom.

  58. Tenthly, it will be objected that the notions we advance are
inconsistent with several sound truths in philosophy and
mathematics. For example, the motion of the earth is now universally
admitted by astronomers as a truth grounded on the clearest and most
convincing reasons. But, on the foregoing principles, there can be
no such thing. For, motion being only an idea, it follows that if it
be not perceived it exists not; but the motion of the earth is not
perceived by sense. I answer, that tenet, if rightly understood,
will be found to agree with the principles we have premised; for,
the question whether the earth moves or no amounts in reality to no
more than this, to wit, whether we have reason to conclude, from
what has been observed by astronomers, that if we were placed in
such and such circumstances, and such or such a position and
distance both from the earth and sun, we should perceive the former to
move among the choir of the planets, and appearing in all respects
like one of them; and this, by the established rules of nature which
we have no reason to mistrust, is reasonably collected from the
phenomena.

  59. We may, from the experience we have had of the train and
succession of ideas in our minds, often make, I will not say uncertain
conjectures, but sure and well-grounded predictions concerning the
ideas we shall be affected with pursuant to a great train of
actions, and be enabled to pass a right judgment of what would have
appeared to us, in case we were placed in circumstances very different
from those we are in at present. Herein consists the knowledge of
nature, which may preserve its use and certainty very consistently
with what hath been said. It will be easy to apply this to whatever
objections of the like sort may be drawn from the magnitude of the
stars, or any other discoveries in astronomy or nature.

  60. In the eleventh place, it will be demanded to what purpose
serves that curious organization of plants, and the animal mechanism
in the parts of animals; might not vegetables grow, and shoot forth
leaves of blossoms, and animals perform all their motions as well
without as with all that variety of internal parts so elegantly
contrived and put together; which, being ideas, have nothing
powerful or operative in them, nor have any necessary connexion with
the effects ascribed to them? If it be a Spirit that immediately
produces every effect by a fiat or act of his will, we must think
all that is fine and artificial in the works, whether of man or
nature, to be made in vain. By this doctrine, though an artist hath
made the spring and wheels, and every movement of a watch, and
adjusted them in such a manner as he knew would produce the motions he
designed, yet he must think all this done to no purpose, and that it
is an Intelligence which directs the index, and points to the hour
of the day. If so, why may not the Intelligence do it, without his
being at the pains of making the movements and putting them
together? Why does not an empty case serve as well as another? And how
comes it to pass that whenever there is any fault in the going of a
watch, there is some corresponding disorder to be found in the
movements, which being mended by a skilful hand all is right again?
The like may be said of all the clockwork of nature, great part
whereof is so wonderfully fine and subtle as scarce to be discerned by
the best microscope. In short, it will be asked, how, upon our
principles, any tolerable account can be given, or any final cause
assigned of an innumerable multitude of bodies and machines, framed
with the most exquisite art, which in the common philosophy have
very apposite uses assigned them, and serve to explain abundance of
phenomena?

  61. To all which I answer, first, that though there were some
difficulties relating to the administration of Providence, and the
uses by it assigned to the several parts of nature, which I could
not solve by the foregoing principles, yet this objection could be
of small weight against the truth and certainty of those things
which may be proved a priori, with the utmost evidence and rigor of
demonstration. Secondly, but neither are the received principles
free from the like difficulties; for, it may still be demanded to what
end God should take those roundabout methods of effecting things by
instruments and machines, which no one can deny might have been
effected by the mere command of His will without all that apparatus;
nay, if we narrowly consider it, we shall find the objection may be
retorted with greater force on those who hold the existence of those
machines without of mind; for it has been made evident that
solidity, bulk, figure, motion, and the like have no activity or
efficacy in them, so as to be capable of producing any one effect in
nature. See sect. 25. Whoever therefore supposes them to exist
(allowing the supposition possible) when they are not perceived does
it manifestly to no purpose; since the only use that is assigned to
them, as they exist unperceived, is that they produce those
perceivable effects which in truth cannot be ascribed to anything
but Spirit.

  62. But, to come nigher the difficulty, it must be observed that
though the fabrication of all those parts and organs be not absolutely
necessary to the producing any effect, yet it is necessary to the