Page:Gods Glory in the Heavens.djvu/84

66 religions science, as if the famous verse, 'The heavens declare the glory of God,' still preserved all its value. To minds early familiarised with true philosophical astronomy, the heavens declare no other glory than that of Hipparchus, of Kepler, of Newton, and of all those who have aided in establishing their laws. It is, however, certain, as I have shewn, that all real science is in radical and necessary opposition to all theology, and this characteristic is more decided in astronomy than anywhere else, just because astronomy is, so to speak, more a science than any other. No other has given more terrible shocks to the doctrine of final causes, generally regarded by the moderns as the indispensable basis of every religious system, although, in reality, it has been the consequence of them. The simple knowledge of the movement of the earth must have destroyed the prime and real foundation of this doctrine—the idea of the universe subordinated to the earth, and consequently to man. Besides, the accurate exploration of our system could not but dispel that blind and unlimited wonder which the general order of nature inspired, by shewing, in the most sensible manner, and in various respects, that the elements of this system are certainly not disposed in the most advantageous manner and science permits us easily to conceive a happier arrangement."

We shall not stop to notice the tone of arrogant assumption in the statement that every philosophic