Selected quad for the lemma: head_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
A62084
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The book of nature translated and epitomiz'd. By George Sikes.
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Sikes, George.
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1667
(1667)
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Wing S6322B; ESTC R220778
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50,008
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113
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to himself what he has If he had given to inferiour things what they have he had bin their creatour If inferiour things had given him what he has they had given him more then they have in themselvs and would be superiour to him The same almighty lord made order'd proportion'd and limited all within their severall bounds All are the works of his hands He made us and not we ourselvs Ps. 100. 3. Again the excellent order of so different and innumerable things demonstrates the creatour to be but one Every inferiour order of things is exactly calculated and fitted to the use and service of it's superiour The elements enter the constitution of trees and plants nourishing them continually Herbs and the fruits of trees enter into creatures endued with sense and nourish them Elements herbs fruits and the flesh of beasts enter into man and nourish him The celestial bodies Sun moon and stars do influence and give vigour and warmth unto all Thus do inferiour things help the superiour in great unity harmony and order Things in the first second and third degrees are ordeined for the service of man who is the only creature in the fourth Now if the many particular and speciall natures comprehended in the three general degrees of inferiour things be ordeined for the relief and Service of one nature only to wit man's much more ought that nature to yeeld itself wholly up to the service of one only nature above it the divine There are many distinct special natures comprehended under one generall in the three inferiour degrees of things There are many species or natures in the first elements sun moon stars metals mineralls stones c. In the second are many several natures species or kinds of trees and plants In the third are several kinds of birds beasts fishes and creeping things very different in their natures But in the fourth we find only one nature or species wherein all the individuals do agree All the severall species or distinct natures of things in the first degree are united in one generall consideration as having being only All the several species in the second have being and life only All in the third agree in this that they have being life and sense only not reason Thus may we observe a generall unity of the distinct respective species under the three inferiour degrees of creatures In the fourth all are of one species or particular nature differing only individually And that nature which is above humane and all the rest must have one degree of unity above humane to wit numericall without any diversity so much as in individuals One degree of unity ought to be acknowledg'd incident to the divine nature above humane which can be no other or lesse then this that one and the same undivided substance nature or essence be found in three divine persons really distinct from and yet most intimately one with each other Otherwise would nor the unity of divine nature in three persons be superiour to the unity of humane nature in three or more men All created natures are gathered up and knit together in humane nature which is but one species and humane nature is united with the supream nature of all So comes the whole world to be consummated and terminated in the greatest unity that is possible Moreover he that gave being life sense and understanding to his creatures has all these eminently and incomparably in himself beyond what they are in the creature He has being life sense and understanding in supream perfection and unity He had them from all eternity in himself He received them not from any other nor did he give them to himself They are not limited in him For who should measure them out unto him They are infinite immeasurable and boundless They are all one and the same thing in him Life sense and understanding are the self-same thing with his being In him is no composition What then is attributable unto his being is attributable to all the rest If his being be infinite his understanding is infinite c. Thus having found out the infinite perfection of God by the finite things which he hath made we may further conclude from such infinite perfection that he made not the world as standing in need of any thing his creatures could be or do unto him for ever But in meer bounty did he communicate unto them their being in order to bring them into a final state of indissoluble union with himself which is their utmost perfection and eternall blessednes Chap. 3. Section I. The special agrement or harmony that is found in the constitution of man with other creatures 1. MAn has a special harmony with the lowest sort of inferiour things in the frame or composition of his body as also in the scitâation of the parts thereof He is made up of the same elemental materials with them The nobler and more excellent of them are scituated above those of lesser value The celestial bodies are highest the earth is the lowest part of the visible creation The elements according to their different intrinsecall worth and usefulnes have their place and scituation in the universe higher or lower So in the body of man the head as the noblest part is the highest the feet as the meanest are the lowest And as the heavenly bodies do influence and rule the inferiour parts of the world so do the head hands and other superiour parts of man's body govern and order the inferiour 2. Man has a special agrement or similitude with things of the second degree in the production of his body The seed of plants and trees is sown and lies hid for a season in the earth so is the seed from which man in due time springs up sown and covered in the lowest parts of the earth Again from one small seed wherein is no apparent diversity but great similitude of parts many very different things do spring up and come forth as roots stock bark pith leaves flowers fruits and seeds In like manner from the small seed of man wherein is no discernable dissimilitude or diversity of parts do so many different and wonderfull parts come forth head eyes nose ears tongue hands fingers leggs feet toes brain heart lungs stomack liver spleen reins bones nervs veins arteries c. When we duly consider such a number of different parts so fitly disposed qualified temper'd and scituated for our use we may well conclude that we are fearfully and wonderfully made curiously wrought or embroidered by the hand of the lord 3. Thirdly man has a special agrement and much more likenes yet with things of the third degree in the production constitution and life of his body They are generated by male and female so is he They are formed and in due season brought forth as he They have head eyes nose mouth tongue teeth heart liver stomack and other parts as he They can se hear goe from place to place eat drink digest and be