hear the Heavens and they to hear the Earth and the Earth to hear the Corn Wine and Oil and they to hear his People Hos. 2.21 22. It fully but briefly expresses the Mutual Agreement of the Works of the Creation among themselves and the Dependence of them all upon the Supream Being So the Difference of Sexes or the Constitution and Make of Male and Female in all Living Creatures shews that they have a respect to one another that there is a Relative Tie and Connexion among them viz. in order to the preserving of the Kind and increasing the Number of them Whence by the way we may infer that the Arabian Bird which the Poets talk of of which Sort they say there never is but one is a Fiction for Nature designed the Propagation of the Species And in almost innumerable other Instances it might be shew'd that there is this Natural Dependance of one Thing upon another Wheresoever we look we may espy this Hence we find that those profound Sages Pythagoras and Plato frequently inculcate that all things are Linked together there is an Affinity among Beings in the World All Things in Nature are a-kin to one another And this Heraclitus meant when he said after his obscure manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. one and all things in the World have a mutual Dependence they are like the Body and the Members Their Perfection consists in their Relation to and Connexion with one another This the Royal Philosopher often suggests that the World is of one piece All Things are tied together as 't were by a Sacred Tie and Bond so that nothing is a Stranger to another They are all coordinate and adorn and beautify the same World Now this wonderful Sympathy and Cognation this Pulchritude and Consent of Things cannot be without an Eternal Mind This Excellent Order and Harmony of the World argue a Supream Director The Workman is known from the Work it self as Philo saith rightly from the Make of the World you may gather the Author of it For as he adds no Exact and Artificial Work is of Self-production Wherefore from the Admirable Artifice of the World's Composition we may conclude that it was not from Chance not from a temerarious but lucky hit of Atoms What Beautiful and Stately Palace was ever known to be rais'd by Chance and how then can this Massy Fabrick this great Amphitheater of the World be thought to have no other Rise Which very Argument Plutarch long since used to baffle those Mens fond Conceits who talk'd of Fortune in this Case Nothing saith he that is Fair and Goodly hath a fortuitous Original but is wrought by some Art He that sees an excellent Clock or Watch made of so many Wheels c. shewing the Hour of the Day and observes the orderly Motion of it will not say it was thus framed by Chance How then can he have the Face to say that the Sun which rules this Artificial Work is a Casual Product Yea how can he be so impudent as to say that Man himself was but a By-blow Shall an Inanimate Machine be extoll'd as the effect of Art and Invention and yet shall the Artificer himself be voted to be from no such Principle Surely Men of Sense and Brains cannot but blush at such absurd Propositions It was incomparably spoken of Maximus Tyrius Be perswaded saith he that this Universe is the Harmony of a Musical Instrument and that the Artificer of it is no other than God Though we should grant the World to have been Eternal yet it is impossible that that immense and eternal Matter should dispose it self into such beautiful Order without some Intelligent Substance and Contriver And therefore those who are of Opinion that Aristotle held the World to be Eternal yet confess that he acknowledg'd it to be from God and not by Chance For it is unspeakably absurd and ridiculous to say that meer Matter fell into this excellent Frame we behold it in and not from a knowing and designing Principle for Casualty is without Order Rule or Certainty Therefore the Fabrick of the World must be from the Wisdom of some Omnipotent Creator or else we can give no account of the Order and Graceful Disposition of Things and of the Harmony of the World which as Seneca saith truly consists of discording and contrary Qualities To this purpose an antient Christian Writer speaking concerning God hath these Words He hath most fitly adorned the Universe and hath reduced the Discord of Elements into Order and Concord that the whole World might be Harmonious And the Permanency of this excellent Order shews its Author Wherefore to that Question Whence doth it appear that there is a God Iustin Martyr gives this Answer From the Consistency and lasting Order of Things in the World The Laws and Course of it have remained regular and constant for so many Ages the Effects are steady methodical and unalterable This is that admirable Consequence and Proportion as Philo calls it which we may observe to be in all Things whereby they are indissolubly chain'd together and continue with an uninterrupted Series The only account that can be given of this is what the same Author saith The Eternal Law of the Eternal God is the most firm and stable Basis of the World and all Things in it Thus the Works of the Creation are a proof of the Deity their durable Harmony evince a God Chance could not effect all these great and wondrous Things it could not produce such a Glorious Fabrick neither can it uphold and sustain it Wherefore we may infer that there is an Omniscient Creator a Wise Artificer Secondly As the Admirable Order so the Excellent End and Design of the Works of the Creation demonstrate the Being of a God Not only Men and Angels which are the Flower of the Creation act for some End but all other Creatures of a lower Rank may be said to do so likewise Even Things that are Inanimate and void of Sense act for some Purpose The Sun warms and the Clouds moisten the Earth but not for themselves and the Earth thus warmed and moistened produces Herbs and Fruits but not for it self but for the several Animals which inhabit on it Man especially who rules over them But this will not go down with some particularly the Theorist To say saith he that the World was made for the sake of Man is absurd and better deserves to be censured for an Heresy in Religion than many Opinions that have been censured for such And then in order to this he degrades and defames Man in a most scandalous manner as if he were no Sharer in Humane Nature himself he makes him a very paultry Creature a poor sorry Scrub and then at last he cries out I wish he had forborn Is this the great Creature which God hath made by the Might of his Power and for the Honour of his Majesty thus
is baffled by it 2. From their Excellent End and Designs the chief of which is to be serviceable to Man Both Animate and Inanimate Creatures conspire in this being actuated by a Divine Director and Disposer This ruines Monsieur Des Cartes's Opinion whereby he attempts the solving of all things by Mechanick Principles This also confounds his Denial of Final Causes in Natural Philosophy pag. 1. CHAP. II. The Author proceeds to a Particular Proof of the Divine Existence and Providence from the Consideration of the Heavenly Bodies The unrivall'd Beauty of the Sun The Vniversal Vsefulness and Benefit of it It s Vast Dimensions The transcendent Swiftness of its Motion It s Regular Course through the Heavens Where is largely discuss'd the Copernican Hypothesis concerning the Earth's Motion and is proved to be precarious because 1. It is grounded on this Vnphilosophical Notion that it is difficult and troublesom to the vast Heavenly Bodies to be continually journeying and posting and therefore the Copernicans would free them of this great Trouble by laying it upon the Earth which they fancy can bear it better 2. It confronts that Historical part of the Bible Jos. 10.13 Isaiah 38.8 In such a plain Narration of Matter of Fact and that of a Miracle it is not to be supposed that Words are spoken any otherwise than according to the Real Nature of the thing and the Propriety of Speech 3. It proceeds upon an erroneous and mistaken Apprehension concerning the Nature of the Earth and the chief Inhabitant of it Man for both of them are far greater than the Heavens in real worth and value 4. We may as well imbrace the Doctrine of Transubstantiation which is an absolute Defiance to our Senses as this Opinion Objections and Evasions framed from Custom and the moving in a Ship answered 5. If the Trembling of the Earth may be felt as all grant then the Violent Whirling of it about must needs be more sensible Objections against this answered Demonstrations which depend on the Eye-sight are fallible and have been question'd by the best Artists The Modishness of the Copernican Notion tempts most Men to follow it This is no Temptation to the Author who for the Reasons premised holds that the Heavens continually roll about the Earth from that effectual Impulse which they at first receiv'd from the Almighty Hand p. 19. CHAP. III. The Oblique Course of the Sun being the Cause of the Vicissitudes of Day and Night of Winter and Summer which are so beneficial to Mankind is an Argument of the Divine Care and Providence The Powerful Influence of the Moon evidences the same So do the Planetary Stars and Fixed ones which latter are eminent for their Magnitude Number Beauty and Order Regular Course Vse and Influence all which set forth the Wisdom and Goodness of the Beneficent Creator The Study of the Stars leads us to God Astronomy Vseful p. 51. CHAP. IV. The things which are remarkable in the Space between the Heavens and the Earth administer clear Proofs of a Deity as the Air the Winds the Clouds where the late Archaeologist is rebuked the wonderful Ballancing of these latter their gentle falling down in Rain by degrees the Vsefulness of these Showers The Rain-bow Thunder and Lightning Snow Hail Frost and Ice p. 74. CHAP. V. The Frame of the Earth argues a Godhead A particular Account of the Torrid Zone and of the two Temperate and two Frigid Zones especially the two latter are shew'd to be Testimonies of Divine Providence The present Position of the Earth is the same that it was at first whatever the Theorist who confutes himself suggests to the contrary Against him it is proved that the Shape of the Earth at this day is not irregular and deformed and that the Primitive Earth was not destitute of Hills and Mountains These are of considerable use The particular Advantages of them are recounted and thence the Wise Disposal of the Creator is inferr'd p. 95. CHAP. VI. Vegetables are next consider'd and their Different Parts enumerated and shew'd to be Arguments of a Divine Contriver Their Fragrancy Delightfulness Beauty Their various Natures Kinds Properties Their Vsefulness in respect of Food Particular Instances of some Foreign Plants viz. the Metla the Cocus-tree They are serviceable for Physick The Signature of some of them declares their Properties and is a Divine Impression p. 117. CHAP. VII God is to be found in the Subterraneous World Where are Waters Fires Metals Minerals to which latter belong Earths Salts Sulphurs Stones both Common and Precious The Loadstone particularly considered and the Author's Opinion concerning it He disapproves of the Total Dissolution of the Earth at the Deluge and gives his Reason for it His Iudgment touching Earth-quakes and Trepidations of the Earth He invites the Reader to reflect with great Seriousness upon the late Instance of this kind and to that purpose offers some Remarks upon it Which he closes with a Devout Address to Heaven to supplicate the averting of the Manifestation of the Divine Displeasure in this kind for the future p. 137. CHAP. VIII The Sea with all its Treasures and Riches is another Evidence of an Omnipotent and All-wise Being The several Sentiments of Writers concerning its Ebbing and Flowing are examined The Phaenomenon is resolved into a Supernatural Efficiency and why The Saltness of the Sea-Waters is in order to the Preserving them from Putrefaction The Sea is kept within its Bounds by an Almighty Arm. God's Providence seen in making it both the Source and Receptacle of all Waters The Theorist's Conceit of the Primitive Earth's being without Sea refuted by Scripture and Reason The great Vsefulness of the Sea in several respects p. 162. CHAP. IX The Wisdom and Power of God are discern'd in the Formation of Living Creatures that are Four-footed which are distinguish'd according to their Hoofs or their having or not having Horns or their Chewing or not Chewing the Cud. Their Serviceableness in respect of Food and Work or Labour Instances of the latter sort Even Creeping and Groveling Animals exalt their Creator Fishes some of which are of a vaster Magnitude than any other kinds of Animals shew the distinguishing Providence of God in the peculiar Structure of their Bodies in order to the Element they live in Fowls are purposely shaped and contrived for the particular use they were designed for Their Food is sometimes extraordinarily provided for them and sometimes they are supported without it They are observable for their being Musical for their imitating Man's Voice for their Beautiful Colours Birds of Prey are generally solitary The several Incubations of these Creatures afford Matter of singular Remark The wonderful Make and Contrivance of their Nests speaks a Divine Architect p. 182. CHAP. X. In the Smallness of Insects is display'd the Skill of the Divine Artificer A Fly is of a wonderful Make. The Omnipotent Deity is discernable in a Bee and in a Silk-worm The Ant is more largely consider'd viz.
The Body of Man a Temple The great Variety of Workmanship in this Structure St. Paul speaks like a Natural Philosopher Every thing in Humane Bodies shews wise Forecast and Design Though some of the Hypotheses proceeded on in this part of the Discourse should prove faulty yet the very Things themselves will always remain Arguments of the Divine Wisdom Power and Goodness The exact Symmetry of Man's Body proved by several Learned Writers The Exquisiteness of this Fabrick is made use of as an Argument for the Demonstration of a Deity by David Job whose observable Words are paraphras'd upon Isaiah the Great Apostle the Christian Fathers Learned Jews Gentile Philosophers and Physitians several of the Moderns as Bartholine Diemerbroek Harvey Glisson Willis Lower Boyl Ray. p. 107. CHAP. VII An Apology for Physicians wherein there is given an Account why they commonly lie under the Imputation of Irreligion and Atheism viz. 1. From a Vulgar Prejudice which hath prevail'd in the World and that among Gentiles Iews Christians It had its first rise from that Averseness which was justly shew'd to those who were only Pretenders to the Art and abused this Noble Profession 2. This Prejudice is partly nourish'd by the particular Deportment of the Persons of this Faculty when they visit their Patients 3. It may perhaps be increas'd by observing how seldom in respect of some others they appear in places of Publick Devotion 4. It may be occasion'd by their Promiscuous Converse 5. They may by some be thought to have no Religion because they have so much Philosophy As for such of this Faculty as really favour Atheism in their Speeches and Practices this is not to be imputed to their particular Art and Calling for there are some very bad Men of all Professions There are some footsteps of Religion in the Prescriptions of Physitians Galen was in his way Devout Modern Physitians have been Illustrious Examples of Christian Piety and Devotion and great Assertors and Patrons of our Holy Religion A Physitian as such is disposed to be a Wise and Good Man p. 133. A DEMONSTRATION OF THE Existence and Providence of God FROM THE Contemplation of the Greater World CHAP. I. The Argument of the following Discourse is suted to the Genius of those for whom it is chiefly designed God's Being and Providence are proved in General 1. From the Harmony and Connexion of the Things in the World Where is shew'd wherein this Harmony consists and how the Notion of Chance is baffled by it 2. From their Excellent End and Designs the chief of which is to be serviceable to Man Both Animate and Inanimate Creatures conspire in this being actuated by a Divine Director and Disposer This ruines Monsieur Des Cartes's Opinion whereby he attempts the solving of all Things by Mechanick Principles This also confounds his denial of Final Causes in Natural Philosophy IT is certainly a great Proof of the Catholick Degeneracy of this present Age that the Minds of Men are generally averse to Religion and Vertue but it is yet a greater Evidence of this degenerate and vile Temper that such Numbers of them are backward to acknowledg the Divine Being Himself and his Wise Contriving and Managing of all things Many Arguments have been made use of to baffle this gross piece of Impious Folly but still we find it is Rampant in the World Many Antidotes have been prescribed to expel this Poison but yet we see it is not rooted out yea in some Places it grows more raging and infectious Even those who pretend to be the greatest Masters of Reason industriously propagate this Contagion that is as much as to say the Men of Wit confront and deny what all the Wise Heads in the World have acknowledged These latter whilest they have been searching into the Works of Nature have been directly led to a Deity For as an Excellent Person saith By the Greatness and Beauty of the Creatures proportionably the Maker of them is seen The Works of the Creation shew us the Creator Himself These are Nature's Bible wherein we plainly read a God Which occasion'd Plotinus to say If the World could speak and we could hear its Voice it would certainly utter these Words God made me This is the Subject of our present Undertaking And I make choice of this Argument before all others because it is one of the most Sensible nature and therefore is fittest to be used when we deal with those that are governed by Sense and outward Impressions only This is an Argument that they can feel and see and have a bodily apprehension of and therefore there may be some Hopes of working upon them by it The Wisdom and Power of God are legible in the admirable Structure of the Universe All created Things bear the manifest Signatures of a Deity The Existence of a Divine Numen may be inferr'd from the Fabrick and Contrivance of the World and all the Parts of it This is that grand Truth which I will insist upon And 1. More Generally and at large I will prove that the Creation and Make of the World forcibly argue a God 2. I will instance in the Particular Works of the Creation First To speak of the Works of the Creation in general they are Arguments of a Deity and a most wise Disposer of all Things because 1. They are so Exact and Harmonious 2. It appears that they are design'd to some excellent Ends and Purposes First We cannot but take notice of and admire their Exactness and Harmony The Works of God saith the excellent Philo are so accurate that they cannot possibly be found fault with reproved or amended because they are framed with the most consummate Skill and Art This marvellous Art and Wisdom in the Make of every Creature even the least and meanest in the Proportion Beauty Distinction and yet Fitness of their Parts and Organs are so plain and evident that they cannot possibly escape our Observation This was the meaning of Plato's Saying that God doth always act the Geometrician that is in all his Works he keeps an exact Proportion and Harmony Scan well the nature of Things in the Universe and you will see that there is a due Correspondence of one Thing with another all things are fit sutable and agreeable there is a convenient and regular Subordination of one to another The Clouds are naturally in a Propension to fall upon the Earth and moisten it and the Earth naturally stands in need of these Clouds and cannot bring forth its Fruits without their Assistance and therefore in time of Drought it seems with open Mouth to call as 't were for the Rain of Heaven and afterwards it gratefully returns it in Vapours and Exhalations for the producing of Clouds again These Clouds and this Earth with their Rain and Fruits are absolutely necessary for the use of Man and Beast as appears from their impatient craving of these Benefits when they are deprived of them Thus God is said to
comparing the Almighty to Nebuchadnezzar upon whom all Things must wait to whom all Things must be subservient I delight not in quoting such Passages as these but there is a kind of necessity of doing so that Mens Minds may not be corrupted and debauch'd by such ill Language which I hope may be in part prevented by my cautioning against it And here by the way seeing I now have and shall frequently afterwards have occasion to mention some Opinions of this Ingenious Gentleman and to argue against them I do here once for all declare that nothing of this Nature is done by me from a Principle of Contradiction or a delight to oppose this or any other Author's Assertions No I most solemnly profess and acknowledg that I bear a due regard to the Wit and Invention of his Hypotheses which are very diverting and entertaining But because I am verily perswaded that they are defective as to Truth I on that account offer a Refutation of them But I would not be thought to say any thing out of pique or so much as an Inclination to reflect with Contempt or Disgrace on any Man's Person or Undertakings and particularly those of the Ingenious and Learned Theorist It is wholly from a just and deep sense of their opposition to that great Standard of Truth in this kind viz. Moses's Writings that I appear against them And I think it is a good and justifiable Employment to assert and defend the Mosaick Verity and whilst I am about this Work I reckon I am in an Honourable Post. That the World is made for Man is no such daring Proposition as some pretend it is The Heavens above him and the Earth beneath him are for his Sake Even those former the Heavenly Bodies are made for him or else you can never make Sense of the Psalmist's Words Psal. 8.3 4. When I consider thy Heavens the Work of thy Fingers the Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained then I say What is Man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou visitest him Whence it is evident that these glorious Creatures so bright so beautiful so remarkable were created and provided for the use and benefit of Man and that God sheweth how mindful he is of him and how he delights to visit him i. e. to discover an extraordinary Kindness to him above all other Creatures by providing the World and all Things in it for him It is true the Heavens are made for the Angels as well as Man but yet we know that even these excellent Beings though they be of higher Nature that he are Ministring Spirits and employed for the good of Mankind especially of the choicest part of them the Heirs of Salvation So that not only the Heavens but the Inhabitants thereof are for Man's sake But it is enough for my present purpose that the Sublunary World and the Heavens of which we are to treat serve Man and were made for him This the Stoicks were great assertors of and particularly Tully who was a Friend to that grave Sect defends it Man is as it were the Center of the World in respect of Final Causes saith a profound Philosopher of our own And though this be denied by Des Cartes and some of late who would pretend to imitate him in that as well as in some other Things yet till there be assigned better Arguments for their Opinion than we hitherto find we have reason to hold fast our Proposition that the World was made for the Sake of Man Even Inanimate Creatures are accommodated to his use and service and the whole Creation some way or other is for his Good Yet it is certain that they have no Knowledg or Foresight no Consultation or Deliberation and consequently can understand nothing of this End which they are made and continually act for Wherefore we must necessarily grant that there is an Omniscient Principle that acts them there is a wise and understanding Being that directs and governs them It must be ascribed to this and this alone that irrational and dumb Creatures yea such as have no sensitive Perception act so orderly and with a tendency to an End And this they do not seldom but constantly and perpetually We see and observe that there is an uninterrupted Course of the Sun and Moon and other Heavenly Bodies in order to our Welfare which could not possibly be procured without them And we see and are convinced that other Senseless Creatures are directed to an End and miss it not All Natural Agents of what kind soever have a regular and fixed Tendency to what is profitable for the Universe The short is any Man that is not wilfully blind may see that there is Design and Contrivance in the World's Creation and in all the Parts of it and that there is an End pursued even by those Beings which have no Sense or Reason Whence we cannot but conclude that seeing these are void of all Counsel and consequently do not act thus by any Counsel of their own therefore they do it by another's There is some Intelligent Agent and Principle there is some wise over-ruling Cause that directs and governs them and purposely produced them for such Ends and Uses Will not any understanding and considerate Man grant that this Director and Governour is God who as he is the Ruler so was the Author and Architect of the World It was he that first endued them with such a Nature and Instinct whereby they tend to their particular Good and End and also to the universal Good of the World Yea those things which are contrary to one another conspire in one common End We must be forced to give our Suffrage to what one of the Antients said There is God who hath commodiously framed and ordered all the Parts of the Universe for the advantage of the Whole As they have their Existence from him so they are actuated by him And it is utterly impossible to conceive that they can be able to act as they do i. e. for certain Ends and Purposes unless there were an higher Agent to direct them The End and Contrivance of things undeniably prove the Divinity and confute blind Chance and Fortune yea and Necessity too which latter is held by Spinosa and accordingly he asserts that God himself hath no certain End or Design in what he doth Thus whether you respect the Order and Beauty of the Creatures or the End and Design of them it is evident that they are Arguments of a Deity The whole Frame of Nature cries out that there is a God All the Creatures confess that they are not of themselves but from an Other In vain hath the French Philosopher attempted to prove that we may give an account of all the Phaenomena of the visible World from Matter and meer Mechanical Motion I say in vain was this Attempt made though I deny not that the Noble Author of it hath shewed a great deal
of Wit and Art in the Prosecution of it and hath said more than any other Man ever did or perhaps could in Defence of this Hypothesis But any Impartial Judg that hath perused what the Learned Dr. More hath offer'd against it will pronounce it to be a vain Enterprize and indeed utterly Unphilosophical He hath demonstrated that there is not any necessary Causality in Matter whereby such Effects are produced that there is no such immutable Law implanted in it no such original and independent Power but that it is derived wholly from a higher Principle By sundry Arguments he irrefragably baffles the Notion of solving all Things by Mechanick Principles but by no Topick more effectually than that which I have propounded viz. the wise Contrivances in the Works of Nature Mere Motion is no Designer no Contriver therefore it can't be the Cause of those Things which we daily see We must then rationally as well as necessarily infer an All-wise Being from the Operations of the Creatures for we see that they are directed to some End And as to what Des Cartes saith that the Ends of the creating of things are not known to us unless God be pleased to reveal them I refer the Reader to the Honourable Mr. Boyl who hath professedly writ against this Doctrine and hath with undeniable Demonstrations confounded it that is he hath most clearly and convincingly shew'd that the Ends and Designs of God in the Works of the Creation are manifestly known and in abundant Instances he shews that they are most obvious and apparent He denies not that in some of God's Works the Ends designed are somewhat obscure and seem to be beyond our reach but then it is as true that in most of them the Ends and Uses are manifest and the exquisite fitness of the Means is conspicuous And as he observes by this way of ordering and managing Things the most wise Author of them doth both gratify our Understandings and make us sensible at the same time of the Imperfection of them Indeed this must be said that Cartesius's Opinion viz. that the Consideration of Final Causes hath nothing to do in Philosophy is consistent enough with his own Principles for if all that we see in the Bodies of Animals and elsewhere in the World be merely Mechanical then there is no Contrivance no Art because he holds all to be the natural Result of Matter and consequently there is no End and which follows from that there is no Signature of Divine Wisdom in the framing of them But this Conceit of his of Mechanism hath been justly exploded by all the great Masters of Reason who have handled this Subject and the excellent Person before-named hath for ever silenc'd that Opinion if Convictive Arguments can silence it Therefore Des Cartes's denial of Final Causes falls to the Ground because it hath nothing to support it now since that Foundation is removed Mr. Boyl hath observed well not only like a Philosopher but a Christian that this French Wit by his throwing aside Final Causes hath thereby deprived his Disciples of the chief End of Natural Philosophy which is to set forth the Praises of God and to admire his Goodness and Wisdom in the Fabrick of the Universe But if we will truly Philosophize we must by no means shut out the Consideration of the Ends of the Creation but we must with great diligence and study enquire into them and acquaint our selves with them And then by seeing and observing the World we shall learn to know a God we shall be brought to acknowledg and adore an infinitely wise Author who appointed all things their Ends as well as gave them their Beginning And now having thus spoken in General I will descend to Particulars and consider the whole visible Structure and System of the World as to its several Parts Here we will contemplate 1. The Heavens 2. Those things which are observable between the Heavens and the Earth 3. The Earth 4. The Sea 5. The Inhabitants that belong to these several Regions Aerial Terrestrial Aquatile All these proclaim a God an Omnipotent Supream Being a Wise and Provident Governour CHAP. II. The Author proceeds to a Particular Proof of the Divine Existence and Providence from the Consideration of the Heavenly Bodies The unrivall'd Beauty of the Sun The Vniversal Vsefulness and Benefit of it It s vast Dimensions The trascendent Swiftness of its Motion It s Regular Course through the Heavens Where is largely discuss'd the Copernican Hypothesis concerning the Earth's Motion and is proved to be precarious because 1. It is grounded on this Vnphilosophical Notion that it is difficult and troublesome to the vast Heavenly Bodies to be continually journeying and posting and therefore the Copernicans would free them of this great Trouble by laying it upon the Earth which they fancy can bear it better 2. It confronts that Historical part of the Bible Jos. 10.13 Isa. 38.8 In such a plain Narration of Matter of Fact and that of a Miracle it is not to be supposed that Words are spoken any otherwise than according to the real Nature of the Thing and the Propriety of Speech 3. It proceeds upon an erroneous and mistaken Apprehension concerning the Nature of the Earth and the chief Inhabitant of it Man For both of them are far greater than the Heavens in real worth and value 4. We may as well imbrace the Doctrine of Transubstantiation which is an absolute Defiance to our Senses as this Opinion Objections and Evasions framed from Custom and the moving in a Ship answered 5. If the Trembling of the Earth may be felt as all grant then the violent Whirling of it about must needs be more sensible Objections against this answered Demonstrations which depend on the Eye-sight are fallible and have been questioned by the best Artists The Modishness of the Copernican Notion tempts most Men to follow it This is no Temptation to the Author who for the Reasons premised holds that the Heavens continually roll about the Earth from that effectual Impulse which they at first received from the Almighty Hand I Begin with the Heavens that immense Space where the Sun and Stars are placed that vast Expansum which contains the Great and Glorious Luminaries of the World for I speak not any thing of Angels the Blessed Inhabitants of this upper part of the Creation as afterwards when I shall treat of Man I shall say nothing of his Soul because I have design'd to discourse only of the visible World These Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-work Psal. 19.1 they tell aloud who was their Author even the same who is the Infinite and Bountiful Source of all Things He framed this Molten Looking-Glass Job 37.18 this Solid and Bright Mirrour of his own Majesty that we might behold Him and his Perfections in it And yet He stretched out the Heavens like a Curtain Psal. 104.2 as a Vail to shrowd as it were
the amazing Excellency of the Divine Glory from Mortal Eyes although from thence he distributes all the Tokens of his Liberality and Kindness to us There is nothing more evident than that the Heavenly Bodies were made for the good of Mankind i. e. to influence on the Earth to shine to give Rain from the Clouds to yield Heat and Moisture c. Which is expressed by their hearing the Earth in that fore-mentioned Place Hos. 2.21 where God is likewise said to hear them for they do as it were by their natural Frame and Disposition desire of God to be beneficial to the Earth and the Inhabitants of it And he doth hear or as 't is in the Hebrew answer and fulfil the natural Inclinations of these Celestial Bodies which have a tendency to Man's Good and Advantage And that the End and Use of them is to be serviceable to Mankind is clear from the first Institution and Appointment of them God made two great Lights the greater Light to rule the Day the lesser Light to rule the Night He made the Stars also Gen. 1.16 viz. to rule the Night And what can we imagine this Government of Day and Night to be for but to serve the Necessities of Man Of these Celestial Bodies I will speak particularly and first of the Sun that great and vast Source of Light that glorious Eye of the World which penetrates into the darkest Recesses on Earth and lays them open and visible Though such is its Sovereign Majesty that it will let nothing be seen in the Heavens but It self it blots out all the Stars with its redundant and unrivall'd Lustre yea such is its radiant Glory that it will not suffer us to gaze upon it That which is the Cause of seeing all things will scarcely be look'd upon it self This is the Prince of the Heavenly Luminaries as Arnobius speaks by whom all Things are array'd and deck'd with the Robes of Light This is emphatically call'd the Light or the Fire for Vr signifies both because it not only illuminates but warms the World with its powerful Rays Unto the former Quality we are beholden for our Ability to see how to dispatch our Business and Work Our Bodily Eyes would be useless without this of the World for they would serve us to no purpose of Life And the whole Earth would be but one dark Dungeon And it is not only for Necessity but Pleasure that this Light is given us for to it we owe the several beautiful Colours which ravish our Sight for these are the various Modifications of its Light and Splendour From the latter Quality with which this glorious Body is endued the Earth receives all its Fecundity and Fruitfulness and all Animals their Vigour and Activity For the Sun is the grand Cherisher of all Things the Common Parent of Life the Foster-Father of the World Because of this transcendent Excellency the Pagans ascribed Divine Nature to it Yea others both Iews and Christians though they went not so high yet were of Opinion that the Sun is an Intelligent Being This was the Apprehension of Maimonides and of Manasseh ben Israel And Origen long before these held the same Which Extravagancy we can attribute to nothing but their very high Esteem which they had of this glorious and beneficial Gift of the Creator Next to its Beauty and Usefulness we might consider its stupendous Magnitude which calls for our Admiration and commands us at the same time to admire with a most profound reverence the Divine Immensity from whence it had its Original It is some thousand times greater than the Moon and a hundred and forty others say a hundred and sixty others say eightscore and odd times bigger than the Earth for the Opinions of Authors are different about the Dimensions not only of the Sun but of the Moon Stars and Earth their Computations varying because their Hypotheses of the Heavenly System and the Distances of these Bodies from one another are disagreeing but 't is acknowledged by all that the Body of the Sun is of a wonderfully vast Bigness they all agree that it is much above a hundred times larger than the whole Earth and they unanimously reject and explode Epicurus and that Philosopher of the Italian Sect who held the Sun is no bigger than it appears to us to be Again the admirable Motion and Course of this glorious Luminary require and deserve our Contemplation And here we shall plainly observe the Footsteps of an Extraordinary and Divine Power First the Constancy of its Motion is matter of Admiration Whence it was as Plato thought that the Heavenly Bodies and this more especially were call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if their never-failing Course argued them to be Divine And it appears from Macrobius likewise that they had that Denomination from their incessant Running as if this were a stamp and impress of Divinity Secondly not only the Perpetuity of the Sun's Motion but the Swiftness of it is remarkable which is very elegantly express'd to us by the inspired Poet Psal. 19.5 He rejoiceth as a strong Man to run a Race he resembles some celebrated Athletick that is famous for his Nimbleness of Feet and always outruns those whom he strives with and wins the Prize from them This Celestial Racer as the skilfullest Mathematicians inform us runs 15 Degrees in an Hour and seeing a Degree in the Heavens is 15 German Miles i. e. 60 Italian or English ones we may infer that he measures about 1000 Miles in an Hour Though this Illustrious Body be of that huge Bulk and Magnitude which I before mentioned yet this is its marvellous Speed and Career Because of this great Celerity Wings are attributed to the Sun Mal. 4.2 but applied in a Spiritual manner to the Sun of Righteousness he flies rather than runs And in allusion to this is the Psalmist's Expression If I take the Wings of the Morning Psal. 139.9 i. e. if I make as much haste as the Sun doth when it sets out in the Morning and flies from the East to the West in a few Hours or if I hasten as fast as the Sun-beams do when at its rising they spread themselves over the Horizon The Rapid Motion of the Sun the swift and sudden passage of its Light are its Wings The like manner of Expression is used by Lycophron who speaking of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aurora attributes Pegasus's Wings to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It flew over a certain Promontory with the swift Wings of Pegasus And for this reason perhaps Pegasus is said by the Greeks to be the Son of Aurora But Thirdly The Regularity of the Sun's Motion is that which I shall chiefly insist upon and thence demonstrate that there is a higher Cause and Author that gave it this orderly Progress As it hath a Monthly Motion through a twelfth part of the Zodiack and passes through the whole every Year so it every
Day runs about the Earth Though I know according to some late Philosophers this Globe of the Earth is daily moved about its own Axis as well as yearly through the Zodiack These Men have taken pity of this part of the World which was thrust into the Center of it and have set it up higher And the Sun as if it were some malicious Spy and Betrayer of Secrets is detruded by them into the lowest part of the World the Earth's former place And accordingly they tell us that the Earth turning round its own Axis in 24 Hours from West to East makes Day and Night Day in that part which being turn'd toward the Sun it receives the Rays thereof Night in that part which is turn'd from the Sun And the Earth besides this Diurnal Motion hath an Annual one they say that is in 12 Months time it goes round about the Sun and hereby it is that the Sun seems to be joined with or opposed to such and such Stars But though I dislike no modest and sober Assertions of Philosophick Heads and I reject no Hypothesis merely because it is New though I must needs say that Pythagoras and one or two more of the Antient Philosophers speak as if they had believ'd such a thing yet I find little reason to embrace this notwithstanding Copernicus hath so many Disciples of late yea though Iacob Behmen that this piece of Philosophy might be even Iure Divino tells us that he received the Doctrine of the Earth's turning round from the Spirit by Revelation I do not lay any stress as some I find have done on such Passages of Scripture as that in Psal. 104.5 He laid the Foundations of the Earth that it should not be moved for ever and other Places which have Expressions that denote the Stability and Fixedness of the Earth though I must needs say we ought to have regard to the very Phraseology of the Holy Writings There is no absolute proof from these Texts no more than there is on the other side for the Rotation of the Earth from such places of Scripture that mention the moving of the Earth or from the Etymology of the Hebrew word Eretz Terra which some derive from rutz currere To which might be opposed the Derivation of Vesta which is one of the Names of the Earth Stat vi Terra suâ vi stando Vesta vocatur The Earth which is the same with Vesta hath its Denomination from its standing Which by the way shews what was the Sentiment of the Antients concerning this matter they verily thought and believ'd that the Earth stands still But to pass this by I am induced to disbelieve the Circular Motion of the Earth after the rate that the Copernicans assert it for these following Reasons 1. This supposes the Sun and the other Heavenly Bodies to be without Motion or to have a very inconsiderable one For the grand Reason you must know why they assert the rolling about of the Earth is because they would free those vaster Bodies of the Sun and Stars from this troublesome Motion They would save them the labour of such long Journeyings and Postings It is more fitting and reasonable they say that this Terrestrial Spot should be in perpetual Agitation than that the huge and spacious Orbs of the Sun and Stars should wheel constantly about Yea some of them have founded it upon a Culinary Maxim viz. That the Meat which is to be roasted turns round with and upon the Spit its Axis before the Fire But we do not see that the Fire turns round about the Meat Just so the Earth turns it self round to the Sun to roast it self and who would expect any other thing They are the very Words of a great Astronomer This is their Kitchin-Astronomy and they talk more like Cooks than Philosophers If we would speak like these latter we must confess that this Rest which they suppose of those great Firy Bodies is against the very Nature of them which is Active and Stirring and tends to a Circumgyration Therefore it is an Unphilosophical Thought to imagine that the vast Bodies of the Heavens stand still seeing their very Nature is to be in continual Motion The Etherial part and especially the Globes of Light are made for Agitation yea their Essence consists in it for Fire is nothing else but fine and subtile Matter in motion Wherefore if we conceive aright of Things we shall apprehend it very reasonable to believe that the Celestial Bodies are in perpetual Motion and that they move not only about their Center but sally out into a Progressive Motion and constantly remove from one Place to another at least in respect of the other Bodies that are about them or are in other Spheres or Orbits For we do not now go upon the Notion which Des Cartes hath of Local Motion according to whom the Earth doth not properly move but only its Vortex in which it swims whilst the Earth it self is all the time in perfect rest because it changes not its Place but continues in the same Space it was in at first But we deal not now with the Cartesians but the Copernicans who hold that the Heavens properly speaking stir not out of their Place but may be said to stand still or however in comparison of the Body of the Earth they may be said to have but an inconsiderable Motion For this is one Argument which is used by them for their Opinion viz. That it is not likely that such huge vast Bodies as these and so many of them should be set a moving whenas the Earth is of a small Bulk in respect of them and might soon be turned about and besides it is but one single Body This hath been the constant reasoning if I may so call it of those that adhere to the Copernican System Galilaeus argues after this manner in his System of the World and so Kepler infers the Motion of the Earth from its Smallness and the Greatness of the Heavenly Bodies Another great Mathematician uses this Comparison The Earth is more easily moved saith he than the Celestial Luminaries as a Mother with more ease can take her Children and set them at the Fire to warm them than she can remove the Fire to them Thus they all along fancy that it is a very troublesome thing for these huge Globes to remove from place to place They conceit that the greatness of these Bodies makes them uncapable of moving with ease But this is Unphilosophical and therefore we may justly look upon the Argument drawn from it as so too What Man of unprejudiced Thoughts can perswade himself that Varenius who sums up in brief the Sense of all the Copernicans discourses closely when he saith It will appear that the Earth moves about its Axis if we consider the vast Magnitude of the Stars in respect of the Earth The Sun is above two hundred times bigger than the Earth and the
Difference between a Motion of a part of the Earth as in the usual Shakings of it and of the whole as in the present Case Yes I grant a Difference but it makes against them for the the moving of the whole Terrestrial Mass is a more sensible thing than the Motion of a part of it only Therefore if we feel this latter we may feel the former i. e. we may feel it if there be any such thing But it is evident there is no such thing because we have no Sense at all of it For this and other Reasons I take the Immobility of the Earth to be an unshaken Verity I hold it a consistent and rational System that the Earth is the Steady Center of the Material World and that the Sun and Fixed Stars with their innate Light and the Planets with their borrow'd one wheel about this Beloved Spot and as it were dance round the Lord and Owner of it who is the Glory of this Visible World and the Image of the Supream Deity To conclude having thus offered my Own Thoughts on this Controverted Point I commend the Reader to that Accomplished Mathematician and Astronomer Ricciolus who hath in his Almagestum Novum several Demonstrative Arguments against the Copernican Hypothesis which if they be well weigh'd will be found to have great Force in them However this must be said that there is no certain Proof there is no Demonstration of the Contrary For tho there is a Great and Celebrated Experimenter in Philosophy one whose profound Insight into all Mathematical Secrets is well known to the World and whose Integrity and Faithfulness in discovering what he hath found out are not to be question'd in the least though there is I say such an Excellent Person who hath offer'd something to demonstrate the Earth's Diurnal Circuit for he found that there was a sensible Parallax of the Earth's Orb among the Fixed Stars and particularly that Fixed Star which is in the Dragon's Head yet no Man knows better than himself that Demonstrations that depend upon Eye-sight are fallible and uncertain witness the Disputes that have been between the Learnedst Mathematicians about Parallaxes and several other matters which are to be judged by Sense And this Gentleman himself declares that he was not fully satisfied with the Observation which he made because by reason of inconvenient Weather and some other Causes he could not make it exactly Therefore with all Deference and Respect paid to this Learned Gentleman and other Great Philosophers of our own Nation I look upon the Motion of the Earth as an Ingenious Conjecture only And so some of the most Judicious Writers have granted it to be But since several Persons of Eminency have appear'd in its behalf and have espous'd it as a true Hypothesis it hath been taken up for a modish piece of Philosophy for there is a Mode in Philosophy as well as in Clothes or any thing else and it hâ—th been thought ridiculous by some not to conform to it He is not reckon'd a Virtuoso who makes not this one of the Articles of his Philosophick Creed I am verily perswaded that most become tame Proselytes to this Opinion merely in Compliment to some considerable Persons who vouch it This is one of the chiefest Reasons why the Copernican Notion is so prevalent The other Doctrine held by the Old Peripatetick Gentlemen and others heretofore is grown out of Fashion and therefore is rejected I speak not this as if I were against any Ingenious Discovery or Invention be it never so New as I have already declared or against any Philosophick Liberty justly so called but then I would have it bottomed on some good Foundation something that a Man can have some Notice of by Sense or some other plain way But such is not the Doctrine of the Earth's Circumrotation Therefore it is so far as I have hitherto discern'd a precarious and groundless Opinion and is the vain result of Copernicus's Gigantick Attempt to raise up the Earth into the place of the Heavens I will only add this one thing more That seeing Copernicus's System begins to be Vulgar and Common I thence expect its Declination for very few Opinions of this Nature are long-lived when they come to be generally received For the Great and Ambitious Wits disdain what is Common and much more that which is Old and accordingly will bethink themselves of some New System or perhaps will retrieve the Old One which will seem New and Fresh at first especially from those Colours which they may give it Thus the Opinions concerning the Earth go round when That stands still For my part I keep my Ground and presume to proceed upon the Antient Hypothesis Which yet is not altogether so neither for that Great Soul of Astronomy Tycho Brahe hath maintain'd it making the Earth the Moveless Center of the World About this moves the vast Machin of the Heavens being set into Motion by the Almighty Architect and Framer of them But especially the Motion of the Sun in so constant and regular a Course is to be taken notice of by us with Religious Admiration If its Revolution were stopt in any one part of Heaven that side of the Earth which is next to it would be scorch'd and burnt up and the opposite side would be all frozen and by that means the whole Earth become useless which may give us some account of the great Blessing which we enjoy by the Circular Progress of the Sun CHAP. III. The Oblique Course of the Sun being the cause of the Vicissitudes of Day and Night of Winter and Summer which are so beneficial to Mankind is an Argument of the Divine Care and Providence The Powerful Influence of the Moon evidences the same So do the Planetary Stars and Fixed Ones Which latter are eminent for their Magnitude Number Beauty and Order Regular Course Vse and Influence all which set forth the Wisdom and Goodness of the Beneficent Creator The Study of the Stars leads us to God Astronomy Vseful BUT more particularly and signally the Course of it in that Oblique Line which it mâ—kâ—s is most remarkable and is a Proof of a Wise Being who order'd it so at first for the Good of the World For I listen not here to what a Modern Author suggests that the Heavens before the Deluge in Noah's time had not the same Course they now have As if the Eruption of the Flood had reach'd to the Celestial Orbs and had wash'd the Sun Moon and Stars We read that God threatned to send a floud of Waters on the face of the Earth Gen. 6.7 13 17. but there is not a word of the Heavens being concern'd in the Inundation But this Learned Writer tells us that not only the Earth but the Heavens are not the same that they were at first but that they have another Form and State and particularly he saith that the Situation of the Earth in respect of the Heavens
is not what it was at the beginning The Earth was not saith he Oblique to the Sun or the Axis of the Ecliptick as it is now But this is mere surmise because it is apparent that the present Situation of these Bodies is most convenient and useful and would well become the Paradisiacal State For it is this and this only that causes an Inequality of Heat and Cold from which proceeds a Variety of Seasons Hence are Spring and Autumn when the Sun touches the Equinoctial and makes the Days and Nights of an equal length twice a Year Hence are Summer and Winter when the Sun visits the Tropicks and its Rays either fall perpendicularly upon the Inhabitants or when it is removed at the greatest distance from them This is the effect of the Oblique Posture of the Sun to the Earth whereby this latter is kept in good temper and made serviceable for the use of all Creatures that proceed from it or inhabit on it It is this Vicissitude of Seasons that makes the Earth pregnant and fruitful and gives Life and Increase to all Vegetables and Animals Whereas a continual Winter or Summer would be destructive to them If the Motion of the Sun were streight and direct through the Equator Heat and Cold would be disproportion'd they would be either too much or too little and consequently the generation and growth of all Fruits and of all living Creatures would be hindred and infinite Inconveniencies would follow Of which I shall have farther occasion to speak when I come to treat distinctly of the Earth Wherefore we are oblig'd to take notice of the singular Care and Providence of God in this present disposition and posture of the Heavens We have reason to applaud the Divine Wisdom in the Language of the Psalmist Thou hast made Summer and Winter Psal. 74.17 This is a plain and sensible Demonstration of a Divine Superintendency There were some of old who fancied that the Gods substracted their Influence in the cold part of the Year And particularly it was the Conceit of the Phrygians that God slept in Winter but awaked in Summer This was the effect of their gross Ignorance and Inconsideration for it is certain that to an Intelligent and Considerate Man it will appear that Winter hath its Conveniencies proper to it and those no less than what the Summer hath Both are requisite for the Good of Mankind because thence proceeds the Alternate Diversity of Seasons which is of so great use This excellent Order and Succession of Times which are distinguish'd by a constant Variety were alledged by the Antient Christians as an undeniable proof of a God And the Gentile World was forward to own and celebrate that Wise Benefactor Qui mare terras variisque mundum Temperat horis Now we cannot deny that these Different Seasons depend wholly upon that Position and Motion of the Sun which I have been speaking of If this Bright Luminary should leave the Ecliptick and make its Course in another Line without Obliquity these would presently cease and thereupon this Lower World would soon be in Disorder and Confusion Wherefore a Wise and Observing Writer thought he had reason to spend a Chapter in setting forth the Wisdom of God in the Site and Motion of the Sun The orderly Succession of Day and Night which is from the Diurnal Motion of this Lamp of Heaven doth no less argue the Divine Wisdom and Conduct Once in four and twenty Hours all People in the World excepting a few toward the Poles have a Day and a Night And this latter which is the Shadowing of the Earth when the Sun is gone from us is as useful and necessary as the former For as a Great Naturalist speaks were it not for Darkness and the Shadow of the Earth the Noblest part of the Creation had remained unseen and the Stars in Heaven as invisible as on the Fourth day when they were created above the Horizon with the Sun and when there was not an Eye to behold them Again Night is not only for Rest and Cessation of Labour which is absolutely requisite for Mankind and other Creatures except those wild Ones those Beasts of the Forest Psal. 104.20 who creep forth when it is dark and lay them down in their Dens when the Sun ariseth and so turn Night into Day and Day into Night but for the cooling and refreshing of the Air and moistning the Earth and for receiving the proper Influences of the Moon and other Planets and of the Fixed Stars which as they shew themselves so they exert their Vigour most strongly in the Absence of the Sun Wherefore the Royal Psalmist joins both these together as equal Instances of God's Power and Providence The Day is thine the Night also is thine Psal. 74.16 And to the same purpose again Psal. 65.8 Thou makest the outgoings of the Morning and Evening to rejoice i. e. both these do praise and celebrate the Honour of their Maker and do as 't were rejoice in it There is not certainly a more convincing Argument of the wise Direction of an Almighty Being than this Daily Progress of the Sun in so much that he is said to know his going down Psal. 104.19 i. e. by the guidance of an All-knowing Actor he sets and rises in that place and at that time where and when we see he doth By the same Superintendency its Monthly and Annual Motion is performed By this it takes up its several Mansions and Lodgings as it were in the Signs through which it passes By this it compleats its Course through its several Stages in its Circuit about the World Which is thus expressed by the Psalmist His going forth is from the end of the Heaven and his circuit to the ends of it Psal. 19.6 He travels just so many Degrees toward the North and as many toward the South every Year and is bounded on both sides by the Tropicks beyond which he never stirs Therefore from this tekuphah which we render Circuit this stinted Revolution the Iewish Masters call the Tropicks Tekuphoth Who is there that doth not find himself as 't were forced to believe a God when he considers these things which cannot possibly be without an Intellectual Guide without a Principle that acts from Wisdom and Counsel Yea after all if the Copernican Hypothesis should be true i. e. if the Earth rolls about on its Center and so turns it self to the Sun in its various Positions yet still there are the same Effects of this that there were of the other Revolution the Good and Benefit of Mankind are promoted and the Power and Goodness of the Great Benefactor are declared Secondly The Moon though it be the lowest of all the Planets and about 40 times less than the Earth yet it is a Faithful Witness in Heaven of those foresaid Perfections of the Deity It is but an Opake Body it is but the Sun Reflex'd it is no other than a
all that there are more of them than are apparently seen for by reason of their unconceivably vast Distance from us and because they are Lesser than the rest they are Invisible But the Curious and Inquisitive continually discover them and when they have more perfect Glasses they will discern more and every day add to their Number and yet acknowledg that their full Number is not to be told but by Him whose Prerogative it is to tell the number of the Stars Psal. 147.4 And He it was that gave them their transcendent Beauty which so ravishes the Eyes of Beholders For though that of the Apostle be true One Star differeth from another Star in Glory yet every one of them hath its peculiar Lustre and all of them together have a Common Glory But the Theorist was not of this Mind for he tells us That they lie carelessy scatter'd as if they had been sown in the Heaven like Seed by Handfuls and not by a Skilful Hand neither What a beautiful Hemisphere would they have made if they had been placed in Rank and Order if they had been all dispos'd into regular Figures and the little ones set with due regard to the greater Thus he And it is no wonder that he who finds fault with the Earth's Deformity and Irregularity finds the same in the Heavens For nothing of God's Creation no not Man himself pleases him But this I will say though those Balls of Liquid Fire may seem to be set in the Heavens in a careless manner though they seem to be scatter'd and thrown about the spatious Sky yet without doubt there is Care and Exactness in the placing of them They are ranged in an excellent Order though we apprehend it not nor can we because we have but an imperfect view of them As well the single Stars as the several Constellations have a due and orderly Position though the Numerousness of them hinders our discerning of it The Glorious Canopy of Heaven is set so thick with Glittering Lights that we are not able to give an account of the just Figure of them And yet because we cannot see them All we are not able to judg of the excellent Proportion of them Yea 't is not to be doubted that even those smaller Lights with which the Galaxy is so powder'd and bespangled are all marshall'd according to their proper Stations and are thereby render'd very Beautiful though we have not yet found out Engines to give us a Conviction of it This is the meaning of Iob's words ch 26. v. 13. By his Spirit he hath garnish'd the Heavens for the Stars are the Garnishing and Adorning of them And thence according to Varro and Pliny Coelum is qu. Coelatum finely wrought and engraven exquisitly carved with artificial Workmanship Which occasion'd that of Cicero Though the Stars saith he be necessary parts of the World and appertain to its Consistency yet this likewise is true that they were made to be look'd and gazed upon by Mankind who cannot possibly entertain their Sight with a more insatiable and beautiful Object And Seneca saith rightly Who will not be ravish'd with the sight of this Glorious part of the World when in a clear Night it displays all its Glittering Fires and shines with such an innumerable Company of Stars In every one of which the Image of the Creator is plainly to be seen Again Their Regular Course speaks their Author That a few of them have liberty to wander yet so as not to transgress their Bounds and that all the rest are so Fixed that they move not from their Stations is the product of an unerring Wisdom and Providence But when I say that these are thus Fixed it is not to be understood as if they were not in Motion for they all move and that from place to place but in an equal and steady Posture and all at the same Time and so they keep the same Distance continually from one another As if a great Number of Men should run all at the same time but some behind and others before and the rest on this and that side and observe a due and equal Distance from one another it may properly and in the strictest Sense be said that they move Progressively i. e. from place to place though all the time they are not farther off nor nearer to one another That the Motion and Revolution even of the Erratick Lights are exact and precise constant and unalterable is evident from this that the very Minute of their Oppositions Conjunctions and other Aspects as well as Eclipses can be foretold a hundred Years before they come to pass And not only the Planets but the whole Host of Heaven as they are call'd keep their Ranks and observe an exact Order Nec quicquam in tantâ magis est mirabile mole Quam Ratio certis quòd legibus omnia parent Nusquam turba nocet nihil ullis partibus errat In which Words the Poet represents these Heavenly Bodies as endued with Reason because they are so exact in their Courses But though this was too high a Flight and is Poetry rather than sober Philosophy yet thus far we are upon a true and solid Bottom that it is the work of Reason and some Intelligent Principle that they all obey the Laws that are set them that the great Crowd of them is not prejudicial that being so Numerous they do not thrust one another out of their Ranks and run into Disorder and Confusion Such an excellent ranging of them as an Antient Writer of the Church speaks such a constancy in observing their Orders and Seasons could not be at first without a Provident Artist or so long be preserv'd without a Powerful Intelligence inhabiting as it were in them or be perpetually govern'd without a Skilful Ruler as Reason it self declares This was the Foundation it is probable of the Harmony of the Heavenly Spheres held first by Pythagoras then by Plato afterward by Macrobius Boetius and even our Venerable Bede The admirably Exact and Uniform Motion of these Bodies the Constant Order which they keep in their Revolutions and Periods are the true Harmonick Musick and Concord of them This is thus expressed by a Great Artist There is no one though but meanly learned in Astronomy that will not acknowledg upon his attentive considering the Order of the Heavenly Bodies a certain kind of Harmony in the Distances and Motions of the Planets And a Great Man of a very inquisitive Brain thought so or else we should not have had these remarkable Words from him Could we satisfy our selves in the Position of the Lights Above and discover the Wisdom of that Order so invariably maintain'd in the Fixed Stars of Heaven could we have any light why the Stellary part of the first Mass separated into this Order that the Girdle of Orion should ever maintain its Line and the two Stars in Charles's Wain never leave pointing at the Pole-Star
unhappy King he was dethron'd by his own Son and died of Grief and Melancholy But though he thus impiously blasphemed the Creation yet he was not so sottish as to deny a God the Artificer of all these Works that we behold Which yet our Atomical and Chance-Philosophers will not be induced to assert or believe CHAP. IV. The Things which are remarkable in the Space between the Heavens and the Earth administer clear Proofs of a Deity as the Air the Winds the Clouds where the late Archaeologist is rebuked the wonderful Ballancing of these latter Their gentle falling down in Rain by degrees the Vsefulness of these Showers The Rain-bow Thunder and Lightning Snow Hail Frost and Ice NOW let us go down from these Lofty Battlements of Heaven to behold the things that are between this and the Earth Let us descend from the Etherial to the Aerial Region where still we shall find every thing declaring a Divine and Omnipotent Creator The Air the Clouds the Winds and all the Meteors preach a Deity The Air is the necessary but noble Instrument of Man's Subsistence in the World We breathe by it and so it is the most necessary of all the Elements because without Respiration there is no Life The Greek word which signifies to breathe hath but two Letters and those are the first and last of the Greek Alphabet The Air or Breath by which we breath is our Alpha and Omega we began our Life with it and we end it without it For this is that whereby the Fuel of Life is at first kindled and afterward maintained This also was made to transmit to us the Light Heat and Influences of the Sun and Stars and is the Medium and Conveyer of Colours to the Eye and of Sounds to the Ear and is the Vehicle of all wholesom Smells of all fragrant and delightful Odours for the Refreshment of our Spirits This is of perpetuall use to all Creatures whether Vegetative or Animal And if we would be Curious we might observe here the Elastick Power or Spring of this Element the native Self-Expansion of this vast Body whereby it flies out and seeks to be at Liberty upon the removal of all Circumambient Obstacles Which a Noble Philosopher of our Age hath improved to very good purpose and therein discover'd the Wonders of the Creation The Winds are the Stream and Current of this Element and are caused by the Condensation and Rarefaction of it which are procured by a lesser or greater degree of the Sun's Heat But sometimes this Boisterous Meteor is bred by Vapours and Exhalations rising out of the Earth or Waters and then generally it is most vehement and loud it is most swift and rapid on which latter account we have mention of the Wings of the Wind Psal. 18.10 But both the gentle Gales and stormy Blasts are useful at their several Seasons viz. to fan clear and purge the Air and to prevent the stagnating of it to dispel unwholesom and noxious Vapours especially at Sea and in very wet Soils to dry up excessive Moisture after great Rains to qualify the scorching Heat of the Summer to cool those Regions which are most liable to the Sun 's perpendicular Rays and accordingly it is well known that there are Briezes i. e. fresh Eastern Winds which constantly blow about Noon in the hottest Countries even under the Equator and mitigate the excessive Heat They are welcome and refreshing to Trees and Plants and Fruit both as they bring Rain to water them and fair Weather to ripen them They are serviceable at Sea for Ships yea of such necessity that Navigation could not be performed without them And they are useful for several considerable Purposes at Land for the Needs of Man's Life The Winds therefore may be reckon'd as no contemptible Instances of God's Care and Providence toward Mankind Whence these are attributed to Him alone by the Inspired Prophet He bringeth forth the Wind out of his Treasures the Treasures of Sea and Land that afford a plentiful stock of Exhalations which being either rarified by Heat or condens'd by Cold stir and move in that manner which we either feel or hear He makes the Weight for the Winds as it is elegantly said of him Iob 28.25 There is such a certain Order and Appointment concerning every one of them whether they be the Cardinal Ones from the Four Quarters of the World or those that are Intermediate and Collateral that they may be said to be weighed and poized They are always in such a Posture as he pleaseth and their Place and Motion together with the Effects of them are exactly determined Let us behold the Clouds the visible and constant Witnesses of an Almighty Power and Wisdom They are moist Vapours drawn up and thickned into Water in the middle Region of the Air therefore they are call'd the Waters above the Firmament Gen. 1.7 i. e. above the great Expansum of the Lower Region of the Air for there is another Firmament mentioned Gen. 1.17 the Firmament of the Heaven or Aether where God placed the Stars So that if we distinguish between the Aerial and Aethereal Firmament which we ought to do we shall reconcile the Controversy which hath been among Writers concerning the Rakiang the Expansum mentioned by Moses which divided the Waters that are under it i. e. the Sea from the Waters that are above it i. e. the Clouds The not observing of this hath occasioned that vile Notion which we find vented by the Archaeologist who tells us That Moses makes Waters above the Heavens or Firmament to comply with the vulgar Conceit of the People that God Almighty hath a Store-house of Rain there and so sends it down thence to them on the Earth I am heartily sorry to see such ill Words fall from the Pen of a Christian Writer They not only import that Moses willingly and designedly fosters the People in their erroneous and false Apprehensions concerning God's Works but they make a Mock of a plain Truth viz. that the Heavens or Clouds are the Receptacles or Store-houses of Rain and were appointed by the All-wise God to be so The Heaven is expresly call'd God's good Treasure or rather Treasury whence he gives Rain Deut. 28.12 And we read of the Treasures of Snow and Hail Job 38.22 We should rather translate it Treasuries as the same Hebrew word is render'd in Psal. 135.7 where also it is apply'd to a Meteor as it is here And what are these Treasuries and Store-houses of Rain Snow and Hail but the Clouds from whence these Meteors descend And these Clouds as any impartial and considerate Man must needs grant are the Waters that are above the Firmament or Aerial Heaven So little reason had the foresaid Writer to look upon these as the mere Imagination of the Vulgar and to think that the Inspired Pen-man makes mention of them in mere Compliance with the conceited People Whereas it is rational to believe that
the Idols of the Gentiles that can cause Rain or can the Heavens of themselves give Showers Art not thou he O Lord God The Old Jews express'd their Sentiment concerning it thus One of the Keys proper to God and kept in his own Hand is that of Rain thereby reckoning it a singular and immediate Gift of the Almighty And they used to join it with two other Keys viz. of giving Life and of Raising from the Dead which shews that they thought it peculiar to God alone And then the known Vsefulness of this Blessing is an Argument of its Author This is with great Elegancy set forth by the Inspired Poet Psal. 65.9 Thou visitest the Earth and waterest it thou greatly enrichest it with the River of God i. e. the Clouds or Rain which is full of Water thou preparest them Corn when thou hast so provided for it by vouchsafing seasonable Showers thou waterest the Ridges thereof abundantly thou settlest the Furrows thereof thou makest it soft with Showers thou blessest the Springing thereof thou crownest the Year with thy Goodness and thy Paths the Clouds wherein God is Poetically said to walk Psal. 18.9 drop Fatness They drop upon the Pastures of the Wilderness and the little Hills rejoice on every side The Pastures are clothed with Flocks the Valleys also are cover'd over with Corn they shout for Ioy they also sing This they do thus they behave themselves being as it were drunk with the Bottles of Heaven as the Clouds are call'd Iob 38.37 being abundantly satisfied with Ioresh and Malkosh the former and the latter Rain the first of which is necessary after the Seed is sown the second before Harvest to set it forward to fill the Ears Wherefore St. Paul proves a God from the Clouds Acts 14.17 He left not himself without Witness i. e. of his Divine Power and Providence in that he gave us Rain from Heaven and as the Consequent of that fruitful Seasons For it is this Celestial Water that makes the Ground fruitful it hath a peculiar Faculty to do it and no other Water doth the like Thence that Talmudick Saying Rain is the Husband of the Earth because it impregnates it and makes it fructify Therefore Showers are rightly call'd by Pliny the Food of Plants the Meat as well as the Drink of all Vegetables But this is effected by the Divine Blessing and is a singular Testimony of God's Care of the World Thus from the Earth we prove there is a God in Heaven even from the Grounds and Fields refresh'd with Rain and thereby made fertile we argue a Divine Benefactor And now when I am speaking of the Clouds I must not forget the Rain-bow which is a Party-colour'd Cloud whose fine and gay Paintings are the various Reflection and Refraction of the Sun's Beams in that watry Substance This gaudy Mixture of Light and Shade arises naturally from the Difference of the Superficies of those Parts that constitute the Cloud and therefore without doubt it appear'd before the Deluge though we find it not mention'd till afterwards when it was appointed to be set in the Skies as a Sign of a Covenant between God and Man and ever since it hath continued and shall so to the last Period of all things a visible Token and Assurance of God's good Will to Mankind Wherefore as often as we view this Cloud made so remarkable by the Diversity of its Colours the Variety of its Tinctures let us thence be confirm'd in our Belief of a God and look upon this Beautiful Spectacle as an illustrious Symbol of the Divine Mercy and Beneficence Or to speak in the Words of the Wise Son of Sirach Look upon the Rainbow and praise Him that made it Very beautiful it is in the Brightness thereof It compasseth the Heaven with a glorious Circle and the hands of the most High have bended it Ecclus. 43.12 To the Clouds belong Thunder and Lightning and therefore may pertinently be spoken of here for when a Cloud breaks asunder by reason of hot and dry sulphureous and nitrous Vapours enclos'd and compass'd about with cold ones and so set on Fire and consequently extending themselves and violently making their way the Noise caus'd by this Rupture is that which we call Thunder and the flashing out of the Fire is Lightning Both which are comprehended in those Words Psal. 29.7 The Voice of the Lord divides the Flames of Fire And the former of them is call'd the Voice of the Lord upon the Waters ver 3. This is no other than his Thundring in the Clouds which usually turn into Rain when they are broken and scattered And perhaps to this may refer ver 10. The Lord sitteth upon the Floods i. e. upon the Clouds which are justly stiled Floods because of the abundance of Water contain'd in them And as Thunder is bred by Fire and Water in the Clouds so the Effects of it are of the like Nature for Lightning and Rain generally accompany the Thunder Wherefore we find this particularly taken notice of by the Pious Observers of Providence He maketh Lightnings for the Rain Psal. 135.7 He maketh Lightnings with Rain Jer. 10.13 And this is mentioned in Iob 37.2 5. 38.25 26. and not without great Reason for herein the Goodness and Mercy of God are seen because Rain is serviceable to connect and qualify the Thunder and by its Moisture to prevent the Hurt which otherwise might be done by the scorching Flashes which attend it Who is not sensible that Thunder is the more signal Operation of a Divine Cause and therefore is so frequently call'd God's Voice as in Exod. 20.18 Psal. 18.13 77.18 Ier. 10.13 Yea no less than seven times in the 29 th Psalm it is call'd the Voice of the Lord Which may not only signify a Great and Loud Voice for the Voice or Noise of Thunder is such especially in some Regions of the World as in some Parts of Africa and in the Southern Countries of Asia and America where it is much more Terrible than it is among us yea as a Learned Gentleman observes it as much exceeds the Thunder of these Northern Climes as the Heat there exceeds that of these but it more particularly denotes the Wonderful Author of it viz. the Almighty Being Which was the very Apprehension of some Men of the deepest Philosophy among the Gentiles Even they acknowledg'd this Fierce Meteor to be the Effect of no less than an Extraordinary and Divine Power Plutarch informs us that some of the Best Philosophers made it the Matter of their Wonder and Astonishment that Flames should proceed from watry Clouds and that such a Harsh Noise should be the Product of that Soft Matter I find a Great Natural Philosopher taking notice of the falling down of the Lightning from Heaven as a Wonderful thing because Fire naturally ascends It seems he did not think that the Motion of it downwards is sufficiently solved by the Violence of the
Rupture for else he would not have imputed it to a Divine Virtue as he doth And more fully and expresly in another place he declares his Mind thus The Effects of Thunder if you consider them well are of that Wonderful Nature that we cannot possibly doubt but that there is a Divine Subtile Power in them And then he proceeds particularly to reckon up the Strange Phaenomena of this sort of Meteor which indeed are very Surprizing and Amazing and would be thought altogether incredible if several Other Writers of good note had not attested the same and if at this very day we had not Instances of the Truth and Reality of them This Naturalist adds further that Thunder is made partly to Scare and Affright the World This Terrible Noise saith he was for this purpose viz. That we might stand in awe of something above us Horace confesses that he felt this in himself he acknowledges that this Voice from Heaven made him disown Epicurus's Notions and repent of all his Atheistical Principles and Practices See Lib. 1. Ode 34. It is a very Remarkable Example and I heartily wish that the Wild Sparks of this Age who are very well pleas'd with other Parts of this Author's Writings and are ambitious to imitate him would seriously read and consider of this and thence with their Brother Poet and Pagan be induced to assert a God and Providence in the World It is not to be denied that sometimes by this Dreadful Sound God is pleased to rouze and alarm the careless Part of Mankind and sometimes to give Proof of his Judicial and Avenging Power Moreover by this is discovered his Goodness to Mankind for this Violent Shaking of the Air is of great Use to us because it corrects or dispels its noxious Qualities and renders it pure and wholesom By means of this are convey'd to us Showers of Rain which most seasonably cool that Element as fast as the Fulgurations heat and inflame it Then as for the Colder Meteors they have their proper Use for which they are generated Snow is a dissolved Cloud that is somewhat condens'd in its coming down and therefore falls in light Flakes like the scatter'd Pieces of a Fleece whence it is said He giveth Snow like Wool Psal. 147.16 To which it is compared because of the Configuration of its Parts and because of its Whiteness and Softness nay I must add because of its Warmth This last is thus express'd in few words by Theophrastus The Snow produces a Fermentation in the Earth by shutting in the Heat upon it which the Earth takes into it self and is thereby made strong and hearty The Husband-man who inters his Seed in hopes of its rising again delights to behold this Winding-Sheet upon it he rejoices to see it thus buried in Woollen because he knows that this is a Safeguard to it and shelters it from the Winter-Winds and Storms This keeps both the Earth and the Grain warm and preserves the Blade fresh and verdant and afterwards when it dissolves it kindly moistens them and is a Preparative to a farther Fermentation Hail is such another dissolved Cloud as Snow but much more thickned and hardned by the lower Region of the Air as it comes down through it The Treasures of this Congealed Rain for so I may call it are mention'd by God himself Iob 38.22 which he saith he hath reserved against the time of Trouble against the day of Battel and War ver 23. Then this Weapon is brought forth and is of singular Use to punish Offenders and accordingly we read that Armies have been defeated by it Iosh. 10.11 Isa. 30.30 Frost and Ice are other Cold and Watry Impressions which God owns himself the Author of Iob 37.10 By the Breath of God i. e. by a Cold Sharp Wind which He sendeth Frost is given and the Breadth of the Waters is straitned is so contracted and congeal'd that they flow not they spread not themselves as usually In very significant and apposite Terms but very briefly this is described in ch 38.30 The Waters are hid as with a Stone i. e. the Waters in Ponds and Rivers and in some Parts of the Sea are covered with Ice which is hard and as 't were Stony and may be call'd a Pavement of Ice That this and the like Operations of the most High are of considerable Use in the World beside what hath been mention'd before we gather from chap. 37. ver 12. They are turned round about by his Counsels that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the Face of the World in all the Earth i. e. all the World over they are made use of in their several Vicissitudes to effect the wise Designs and Purposes of God And ver 13. He causeth it to come whether for Correction i. e. the Punishment of Men or for his Land i. e. more universally for all Creatures particularly the Ground or Earth or for Mercy i. e. in a way of Blessing It were easy to give Instances of all these for Histories readily furnish us with them So in another Place of this Book ch 36. v. 31. where the foregoing Discourse had been concerning the Clouds Rain Lightning c. it is said By them he judgeth the People i. e. to some they are made use of for Punishment and he giveth Meat in abundance i. e. to others they are sent for Good for their real Benefit and Advantage and more particularly they are someways instrumental towards the procuring of Fruitfulness and Plenty call'd here Meat I had almost forgot to mention Dew which is of great Advantage especially in the Eastern Countries which are hot and where little Rain falls It is by the singular Care of the Divine Providence that they have very Great Dews which are hugely beneficial to the Earth Therefore you find these taken notice of as a particular Largess of the Divine Goodness Iob 38.28 Mic. 5.7 and in several other Places Thus much concerning the Lower Heavens or Atmosphere that is the Space between the Ethereal Heavens and the Earth and the several things which are Observable in it as the Air Winds Clouds c. all which proclaim a Wise Powerful Just and Merciful Deity CHAP. V. The Frame of the Earth argues a Godhead A particular Account of the Torrid Zone and of the two Temperate and two Frigid Zones especially the two latter are shew'd to be Testimonies of Divine Providence The present Position of the Earth is the same that it was at first whatever the Theorist who confutes himself suggests to the contrary Against him it is proved that the Shape of the Earth at this day is not Irregular and Deformed and that the Primitive Earth was not destitute of Hills and Mountains These are of considerable Vse The particular Advantages of them are recounted and thence the Wise Disposal of the Creator is inferr'd NOW let us pass to the Earth that Part of the World where we are placed where the
more fine and tender Plants those which will not bear a Degree of Heat beyond that of April would be all burnt up and destroy'd by it whilest it could never reach the more lofty and robust nor would there be near Heat enough to ripen their Fruits and bring them to Perfection Nothing would sute and hit all and answer every End of Nature but such a Gradual Increase and Decrease of Heat as now there is He adds that if he should descend to the Animal World the Inconveniences there would be as many and as great as in the Vegetable and such a Situation of the Sun and Earth as that which the Theorist supposes is so far from being preferrable to this which at present obtains that this hath infinitely the Advantage of it in all Respects Thus the Learned Dr. Woodward Therefore the Perpetual Equinox of the Theorist is but a Fancy and we have ground to assert that the Situation of the Earth is the same that it was at first and that the Year had the same Seasons Changes and Revolutions that it hath now and that all these are Attestations of the Divine Wisdom in making the World The said Theorist tells us also that the Earth had no Inequalities on its Surface at first but was as smooth and plain as a Die only this is square and that was round And as for the Earth which we now have he declares that there is no Shape nor Beauty in it yea it is Rude Indigested Irregular Monstrous It is but the Rubbish of what was before In short he saith 't is nothing but Ugliness and Deformity It seems according to this Gentleman it is a Chaos again But all the Wise Heads in the World have had other Apprehensions of it The most accurate and nice Judges of Beauty never thought it was a Deformed Mishapen Lump They never dreamt that Sea and Rocks and Mountains rendred it Ugly and Monstrous as this Author positively avers They rather thought that the Variety of Mountains Plains and Valleys c. makes it more grateful and comely than if it were all even they thought that this Diversity of its Parts was Ornamental And so without doubt it is and consequently the Form of this present Earth whatever this Theorist suggests to the contrary is Proportionable and Comely He shews that he is no Judg of Beauty for according to him a Flat Face without a Nose Forehead Cheeks Eyebrows or any other Protuberancies would be handsom So in the Face of the Earth he requires a Perfect Equality which indeed would be a Deformity I deny not but by Length of Time some Parts of the Earth may be worn away or broken in and sunk down c. and so may look ragged and disorder'd but he is very effeminate and nice if he will not bear with these reverend Wrinkles these lesser Defects of Pulchritude in our Mother Earth which she hath contracted by her Old Age. But as to the main she bears her Years well and keeps her pristine Beauty That Mixture of Risings and Plains of Hills and Dales c. which we discover in her is an Ornament and renders her in the whole Uniform and Regular and therefore 't is not to be question'd but that she was not without these at first And particularly as for Mountains which he reckons among the Monstrosities of this Earth and as the Effect of the Desolating Flood it is as evident as a plain Place of Scripture can make it that the Earth before the Flood was not destitute of these for it it said Gen. 7.19 The Waters prevail'd exceedingly on the Earth and all the high Hills that were under the whole Heaven were covered And further yet ver 20. to make it yet plainer fifteen Cubits upwards did the Waters prevail and the Mountains were covered Therefore it is undeniable that the Antediluvian Earth had high Hills and Mountains unless he will say that they were covered before they were And if they were before the Flood it is not to be question'd that they were the Product of the First Creation and were made by God himself It is probable this is intimated from that Epithet which is given them in Gen. 49.26 the everlasting Hills Gnolam here signifies the Antiquity of them viz. that they were made at first when the Earth was created and so are as it were perpetual or everlasting However if this be not meant it is rashly said by a very Learned Writer that it is an Idle Adjection Which appears further from Psal. 90.2 Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Where we see that the Production of the Mountains and the forming of the Earth and the World are synchronical which this Writer denies by saying they were produced a long time afterwards This is a Psalm of Moses which makes it the more remarkable for he that writ of the Creation and afterwards of the Flood and tells us the Waters of it cover'd the highest Hills and Mountains positively asserts here that these Hills and Mountains were created at the same time with the Earth and the World which confirms what he had said before And that Passage in Prov. 8.25 is very much to this purpose Before the Mountains were settled before the Hills was I brought forth for Solomon is there describing the Eternity of Wisdom and shewing that it existed before the Creation of the World and accordingly enumerates the principal Works of the Creation as the Depths the Sea the Fountains of Water the Heavens the Clouds the Earth and its Foundations and among these mentions the Mountains and Hills and asserts that before these and the other Parts of the Creation were produced Wisdom had an Existence Whence any Man of consistent Thoughts would infer that the Mountains as well as the Sea the Heavens the Fountains of Water c. were part of the first Creation for else they would not have been reckon'd up together with the rest as Parts of it We may conclude then that those Vast Swelling Protuberancies of the Earth were of the same Date with the World Though when I say this I do not deny but there might be some Hills rais'd afterwards by the Waters of the Deluge in Noah's time which as they threw down some Hills so they made some others by casting up great Heaps of Earth This I am not unwilling to grant as a thing Probable but what I have said before is Certain As to the manner of the Production of the First Hills and Mountains no Man can be positive It is likely they were rais'd by Subterraneous Fires and Flatus's saith Mr. Ray but I rather think that the Primitive Elevation of the Mountains was another thing and that those Fires were scarcely kindled or set on work so easily Some have guessed they were thus caus'd viz. whereas at first the Waters and Earth were both mix'd together God soon
several Antient Natural Philosophers viz. That the outward Signature or Impression which is on some Plants shews their inward Virtue and that from the Resemblance which they have to the parts of a Man's Body we may gather their secret Power and know to what particular part they are appropriated Thus the Squill and Poppy are good against the Head-ach they themselves resembling a Head The Walnut hath upon its Fruit the Signature of the Head and Brain and accordingly it is beneficial to them Which is taken notice of and thus represented by the Excellent Cowley in his Fifth Book of Plants Nor can this Head-like Nut shap'd like the Brain Within be said that Form by chance to gain Or Caryon call'd by Learned Greeks in vain For Membranes soft as Silk her Kernel bind Whereof the inmost is of tenderest kind Like those which on the Brain of Man we find All which are in a Seam-join'd Shell enclos'd Which of this Brain the Scull may be suppos'd This very Scull envelop'd is again In a Green Coat his Pericranion Lastly that no Objection may remain To thwart her near Alliance to the Brain She nourishes the Hair remembring how Her self deform'd without her Leaves doth show On barren Scalps she makes fresh Honours grow This Natural Stamp is observable on other Vegetables Thus the Leaves of Balm resemble a Heart which Signature shews it to be Cordial and a great Refresher of that part Eye-bright hath the plain impress of the Eye and 't is with Success made use of against the Maladies of that part Kidney-Beans call'd so because they represent the Kidnies particularly affect those Vessels The Multiplicity of Joints and Knots in the Root of the Herb call'd Solomon's Seal which is denoted by its Greek Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shews that it is available against Ruptures and that it joins and knits green Wounds it doth close and seal them up as 't were whence perhaps it hath its Denomination And Liver-wort and other Simples might be mentioned which are Medical for that part whose Signature and Resemblance they bear Some think this to be fanciful but upon due consideration it will be found to be very serious and solid For these Marks and Impressions are real things and go along with the whole Species and are never alter'd Two very Eminent Persons to mention no more at present who were not guilty of indulging their Fancy and Imagination and who were great Enemies to Vulgar Errors and Prepossessions freely own the significancy of these External Resemblances on the Bodies of the Plants The one is the Learned Hugh Grotius who among his Arguments for a God and Providence assigns this as one The other is the Famous Dr. Willis who hath I remember these Words in his Pharmaceut Some things are found good against the Iaundice by a similitude of Substance and as it were by a Signature viz. as being endowed with a yellow Iuice as Rhubarb Yellow Sanders Saffron c. These visible Characteristicks of Plants were impressed upon them by the singular Favour and Goodness of Heaven to let us understand by the bare looking upon them what they are useful for to let us read in the Colour Figure and Proportion of them what their intrinsick Nature is In short there is not the least Plant though never so contemptible and trodden under our Feet but was made for some use and purpose as our late Improvements in this Study partly have discover'd and as succeeding Ages if they be not over-run with Sloth and Ignorance will further manifest to the World and therein display the abundant Goodness and Benevolence of God to it CHAP. VII God is to be found in the Subterraneous World Where are Waters Fires Metals Minerals to which latter belong Earths Salts Sulphurs Stones both common and Precious The Loadstone particularly considered and the Author's Opinion concerning it He disapproves of the Total Dissolution of the Earth at the Deluge and gives his Reason for it His Iudgment touching Earth-quakes and Trepidations of the Earth He invites the Reader to reflect with great seriousness upon the late Instance of this kind and to that purpose offers some Remarks upon it Which he closes with a Devout Address to Heaven to supplicate the averting of the manifestation of the Divine Displeasure in this kind for the future IF we descend into the Subterraneous World as Kircher stiles it the deep places of the Earth as they are called by the Psalmist these also will supply us with Arguments to the same excellent purpose Here we shall be transported with the Contemplation of the strange Make and Composure of those various Caverns that are hid from common Eyes those Unseen Rarities of the Under-ground World for what is unseen of this Earth is most astonishing Here is a vast Receptacle of Waters called by Moses the Fountains of the great Deep Gen. 7.11 This great Collection or Abyss of them is placed in the Central parts of the Earth as Dr. Woodward hath probably asserted Here are Millions of Aqueducts to convey Water from the Sea Here are Springs and Fountains that supply the Land with Brooks and Rivers Here are Medical Waters and Baths for the relief of the Diseased Here are also the vast Treasures of Fire that is that Combustible Matter wherein those subtile Particles are shut up that engender Fire and likewise here are Magazines of Actual Fire as appears from those Volcano's those firy Eruptions which are taken notice of in several Places And that there is Fire in the Earth may be proved from this that the Bottoms of the deeper Mines are very sultry and the Stone and Ores there are very sensibly hot even in Winter Here are lodged Metals the 7 Terrestrial Planets as the Chymists are pleas'd to call them Gold the Sovereign and Chief of all because of its transcendent Purity Brightness Solidity and Weight Silver Steel which is but the harder Part of Iron Copper Quicksilver Tin Lead As for Brass Orichalcum aes it is a mixt Metal viz. of Copper and Lapis Calaminaris Pewter is a Compound of Tin and Lead The Property of Metals whereby they are distinguish'd from other Terestrial Bodies is that they may be melted and are malleable Especially Pure Gold is ductile above all other Metals for an Ounce of it may be so extended by Malleation that it will take up ten Acres if Dr. Charleton may be credited As for the use of Metals none is wholly ignorant of it they were made for Defence and War for Instruments to work with for Medicine for Ornament for Vessels to be used in eating and drinking and all other Services whatsoever for Money and Coin and in a word they are some way or other useful to all the necessary Ends of a Man's Life and consequently are Testimonies of God's Care and Concern for the Good of Mankind Accordingly you will find that these Metals are particularly taken notice of and mentioned by Iob to prove
that this and such like Prodigious Occurrences should lead us directly to the acknowledgment of a Supream and All-Wise Agent to whom only we can attribute such strange Effects unless we miserably strain our Reasons and fancy Causes where there are none It is fit that among so may Philosophick Problems and Difficulties as there are there should be some few that cannot possibly be resolved by a recourse to Natural Causes that by this means the Study of Bodies â—ight not extinguish the Notion and Sense of an infinitely intelligent Mind that Philosophy might not shut God out of the World but that on the contrary we might be forced to confess an Immaterial and Spiritual Being of Immense Understanding and Wisdom So here particularly we are gravell'd with the Attraction of the Load-stone and if we speak freely and ingenuously we must own that we know not how to render an Account of it which without doubt was thus design'd by Providence that we might look up to the Original Founder of all Beings and acknowledg his Superintendency and more immediate Agency in this and some other strange Events which we meet with in the World Here is a dull obscure Stone that hath Power to Attract Iron to it which is denied to Diamonds and Sparkling Jewels This one dark and unpromising Mineral is more serviceable to Mankind as to Navigation which is so much improved by the Invention of the Nautick Compass made useful by this Magnetism than all the Precious Stones and Gemms which the Earth so charily deposites in her Bosom and which being taken thence make such a goodly Shew in the World with their Lustre and Brightness and which really deserve our Admiration because they are borrowed from a Divine Light and Glory And thus I have in part shew'd for it was not my Intention to insist Largely on these things what are the Wonders that are contain'd in the Bowels of the Earth what are the Treasures that lie hid under ground and which are trampled upon every Day And I doubt not but they are disposed of and placed in the same Order in which they were at the first Creation Though I find it avouched lately by One of a very Philosophick Genius that the whole Terraqueous Globe was at the time of the Deluge put into the Condition that we now behold it in He as well as the Learned Theorist holds the Dissolution of the Earth but in a far different manner for the Theorist makes it the Cause of the Deluge but his Hypothesis is that the Deluge was the Cause of the Earth's Dissolution and that all Metals and Minerals and whatever else is found in the Globe of the Earth owe theiâ— present Frame and Constitution to the Flood I crave leave to dissent from this Learned Author for tho as to the Main he has excellently performed his Task of giving us a Natural History of the Earth and hath certainly taken the right way to compile it founding it upon continued Observation and Matter of Fact yet perhaps he hath gone too far in asserting the Total Dissolution of the Earth for according to my Apprehension there is no need of maintaining this It is my Perswasion that it is not very congruous to the Notion which we have of the Divine Wisdom and Prudence to dissolve the Whole Frame of the Earth which was at first made with the utmost Art and Skill and to make a New Settlement of things in this Globe It is somewhat hard to adjust this to the Wise and Discreet Management of Heaven It hath been objected by some that the Laws of Gravity are not observ'd in this Hypothesis i. e. the weightiest and heaviest things do not subside lowest Metals are not always deepest in the Earth and next to the Center and yet they are heaviest and sometimes the lightest Bodies as Shells Bones of Fishes c. are lowest of all or at least are not placed according to the Proportion of their Weight which shews that these Bodies did not sink by virtue of their specifick Gravity which is the thing he asserts But I confess I rather say this to provoke this Learned Author to make good his Hypothesis in all Particulars in this nature than to contradict what he saith about it for I have not duly examin'd the Matter Tho the Deluge was Universal and in a great measure rifled and disorder'd the uppermost Parts of the Earth and displaced most of the Bodies which it found there and consequently made a very great Change yet at present I am not inclined to believe that there was as He expresses it a turning all things topsie-turvy and unhinging the whole Frame of the Globe and that as he speaks in another place the whole Earth was taken all to pieces and dissolved at the Deluge and afterwards framed anew It will be hard to prove that Massy Stones and all other Solid Minerals and Metals lost their Solidity by the Flood If this were so how comes it to pass that the Shells which he often speaks of remain still Why were they not dissolved And why were the Particles of the Teeth and Bones of Sea-Animals which he likewise mentions not dissevered How came they to escape crushing in their falling down and subsiding which he supposeth Yea how come they to be in the very same Figure and Shape that they had at first and to have no alteration Can we think that the constituent Parts of such solid Bodies as Stones and Metals were disjoined and that their Cohesion perfectly ceased and yet that those lighter Bodies of Shells c. kept their Consistency and underwent no Change at all This I think is scarcely possible to be solved His main Proof of this Dissolution of the Earth and the Confusion that follow'd it is the Strata the Layers of Stone Chalk Marl Gravel Coal Clay c. which he takes notice of But I ask why might not these be of Primitive ordering Why may we not hold that these Strata were originally so disposed I do not hitherto see any thing that hinders our Belief of this And as for Shells and Trees c. that are found in the Earth they may be and I agree with him that they are a Proof of the Vniversal Deluge but they seem not to me to be an Argument of that Total Dissolution of the Earth which he asserts that Ransacking of Nature as he is pleased to call it In short I am inclined to believe that all those Orderly Sets or Ranks of different Sorts of Earth which are every where observable were made by the Almighty Hand before the Flood yea most of them at the first Production of the World But if this Curious Author should afterwards make a full Proof of what he hath propounded yet still our Main Point is preserv'd entire for he grants nay professedly avers and declares that this Change of the Earth produced the most consummate and absolute Order and Beauty and that it was for the universal Good
the same Effect with relation to Earthquakes that were felt in other Places Those Commotions in the Natural World are thought to foretel greater in the Ecclesiastical and Civil 2. The Holy Scriptures have particularly taken notice of this as a Sign of the Divine Anger and as a Forerunner of great Evils and Calamities Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of Hosts with Earthquake c. Isai. 29.6 It was foretold by our Blessed Saviour Mat. 24.7 that there should be great Earthquakes in diverse Places before the final Overthrow of Ierusalem And you may observe that in the Sacred Writ great Alterations but especially those which are Mischievous and Destructive are express'd to us by Earthquakes by moving and shaking the Earth and such like Terms This is the Stile and Language of the Old Testament yea and of the New as is evident from several Passages in the Book of the Revelation And therefore my Assertion is not groundless when I say that this particular sort of Prodigies generally foresignifies some Remarkable Evils and Calamities 3. Let us observe and consider the Number and Frequency of this kind of Events of late Above thirty Cities and Towns in Italy and the adjoining Parts have felt this Dreadful Motion within a few Years And they that converse with the History of Modern Occurrences cannot but have informed themselves that there have been more Terrible Shakings of the Earth in the space of these last ten Years than there were in above two I may say 3 or 4 hundred Years before This certainly deserves our most serious Consideration and may assure us that some very Uncommon and Extraordinary thing is portended by these frequent and repeated Agitations of the Earth under our Feet 4. and lastly Let us look upon this late Trembling of that Vast Element under us as an Act of Divine Judgment and Mercy mixed together for we may consider it under this double Notion First let us view it as a Iudgment as a Terrible Threatning from Heaven as a Token of God's Anger and Displeasure because of our multiplied Offences and Enormities for this is the General Character of this Prodigious Occurrence Let us see the Divine Hand stretched out against us and let us speedily reform our Lives lest our continuing in our Impenitence provoke the Almighty to cut us off speedily Secondly let us admire this late Visitation as it hath a Mixture of Singular Mercy with it We have heard what hath been the deplorable Condition of some Other Countries where Earthquakes have happen'd Great Numbers of People have been swallow'd up alive by the gaping Ground and have been buried in the Bowels of the Earth and the Circumstances of those that survived were unspeakably lamentable and miserable It is the peculiar Goodness of Heaven to us that we have not met with the same Severity that this late Concussion of the Earth was not of that Violent and Furious Nature and that it proved not fatal and destructive to us We are concern'd now to remember and practise that Advice of our Blessed Lord Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto you I say a worse thing for even to speak Philosophically which some would have us to do in this Affair if the Sulphureous Matter in that part of the Earth which is under us or whatever else it is that is the Cause of Earthquakes be not quite spent or dissipated or if its Exhalations have not had vent through the subterraneous Caverns and Channels in some other Place it may be at a great distance from us there is some reason to fear an After-Clap a more fierce and vehement Shock with a rending of the Earth to make way for those Sulphureous Vapours Thus even on Natural Grounds it may be suspected that this Gentle Trepidation which we have felt will be follow'd with a more Direful Commotion and that both we and our Habitations may be interred in one Common Sepulcher But to wave Philosophy I am sure according to Divinity we have cause to fear that a worse thing will befal us because we grow rather Worse than Better by all these things that happen to us If the Reader thinks fit we will join in our Devotion upon this Occasion and humbly revering the late Stroke of the Divine Hand supplicate that the Omen may be happily prevented and averted O thou Eternal Being Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth Vouchsafe we beseech Thee that we may be fully sensible of this Iudgment which Thou hast threatned us with Thou who shewest thy self a God of Power and Vengeance by making the Earth to tremble under its Inhabitants put them into the like Posture and cause them to fear and stand in awe of Thee to acknowledg that they deserve to be utterly destroyed for their repeated Transgressions and Offences and that it is from thine unspeakable Patience and Long-suffering from thine infinite Compassion and Forbearance that so Prophane and Wicked a People are not actually consumed O Blessed God make this an effectual means to convince Men of thy Almighty Power and Soveraignty of thy impartial Iustice and Severity and that thou hast Various Ways of punishing Offenders Thou canst make All the Elements serviceable to this dreadful End Thou didst destroy the Sinners of the Old World with an Inundation of Water thou didst consume Sodom and the Neighbouring Cities by Fire Thou hast often by an Infectious Air brought a devouring Pestilence on a People and thou hast also caused the Earth to open its Mouth and swallow up rebellious Sinners And this we might justly fear will be our Lot from thine avenging Hand Our Crying Sins and abominable Practices have long since deserved that this Sudden and Terrible Calamity should overtake us And now if Thou dost actually inflict it upon us we must acknowledg Thee to be Iust and Righteous for there is no Punishment too severe for us But spare us O Thou Merciful Preserver of Men and deal not with us according to our Demerits Enable us to call to Mind that Terrible but Loving Warning which Thou lately gavest us and let our Behaviour be sutable to it Let us with humble Thankfulness acknowledg thy singular Goodness and Mercy to us Thou hast not dealt so with all People for Thou hast shaken the Earth and destroyed the Inhabitants of it at the same time But Thou hast been favourable to Vs and hast only threatned us O let this thy Goodness and Forbearance towards us lead us unto Repentance and firm Resolves of vertuous Living Do Thou make us so deeply apprehensive of this extraordinary Instance of thy Long-suffering and Clemency that we may be effectually stirr'd up to render Thanks unto Thee our Preserver and Saviour and to testify our Thankfulness in a hearty abandoning of all our evil Ways and in turning unto Thee our Gracious God by Amendment of Life that Thou mayest never be provoked to renew the Tokens of thy former Displeasure and to deal more severely with us than
their Dens and Nests avoiding things noxious and hurtful and consulting their Safety and Welfare c. are palpable Indications of that Over-ruling Wisdom which they are acted by Some have lash'd out too far here and have from this Consideration viz. the great Sagacity of Brutes attempted to prove that they are Rational Plutarch hath a whole Treatise in favour of this The Pythagoreans held the same and it was grounded on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Democritus Empedocles and other Philosophers were of this Opinion as Stobaeus relates And we learn from Sextus Empiricus that it was asserted of old that no Animal is Irrational but that they are all capable of Understanding and Science Porphyrius is very warm on the same Argument and makes it the grand Foundation of his Discourse concerning Abstinence for therefore he saith we ought to refrain from feeding on any sort of Animals because they are like our selves Rational Beings Justice extends to them as well as to those of our own kind or rather they are of our own kind and therefore we must be just to them and consequently we must not take away their Lives for killing them is Injuring them And several other things he offers to prove this Opinion Indeed to give this Author his due he saith as much for the Rationality of Brutes as can possibly be suggested Nothing can be more Ingenious and Plausible than what he hath deliver'd so that Brutes are for ever oblig'd to him for his Endeavours of this sort Nay he and some others go further telling us that they have not only Reason but Speech and that as there are different Species of Brutes so there are of Languages too in which they understand one another And some Philosophers of old as Melampus Tiresias Thales Apollonius Tyanaeus and Pliny if A. Gellius saith true of him pretended that they understood them and Porphyrius was so foolish as to believe it and Sextus the Emperick had the same Thoughts It is true some Brutes have a way of communicating with one another i. e. by the Noise they make they signify to one another their natural Propensions and Desires thus Hens hold some vocal Correspondence with their young ones c. If this be all they mean by using a Language we acknowledg it but we cannot but add that it is improper and absurd to call an Inarticulate Sound a Language or Speech Nor can Brutes in general be said to have or use this when it is found but in few of them and especially when it is only an Expression of their natural Instincts and not of any internal Reason that they are owners of Had there been any such thing as the Language of Brutes wer should have heard of it from the Inquisitive Augurs among the old Romans If there had been any such Notion among the wisest of the Pagans most certainly they would have made Divinations from this But it appears that they had no such apprehension and among all their ways of Augury which was from what they could possibly observe in Animals we have not a Word of this we never read that any of their Soothsayers pretended to prognosticate from the Language of brute Beasts Which plainly shews that this was a groundless odd Fancy of a few Men and is no Proof of the Rationality of Beasts which is the thing they aim at There were some Iews likewise as well as Pagans that held there is Reason and Understanding properly so call'd in Beasts Philo was so deluded as to be of this Number and Maimonides and some other Rabbies follow'd him Yea one of the Christian Writers who was a Novice in Philosophy as well as Divinity maintains the Reasonableness of Brutes and holds that they use a Language And there are some Moderns who almost forfeit their Rational Nature by pleading for that of Brutes But all Persons void of Prejudice and vain Conceit exclude these Creatures from partaking of Reason strictly so call'd and only acknowledg a bare Semblance or Shew of it in them Which is the very thing that the Old Stagirite long since asserted There is saith he another kind of Prudence Art and Wisdom in Brutes and in the same Place he calls it an Image or Resemblance of Prudence As specious as it is it is founded in these two Memory and Sense The quickness of both these produceth those Actions in them which have some appearance of Reason some faint Glimmerings of Intellectual Light And let me add this which gives the true account of this matter and is a great Argument of the Divine Prudence and Management these Creatures are endued with this wonderful excellency of Memory and Acuteness of their Senses insomuch that they surpass Man because they are destitute of Reason which is Man's Prerogative For Reason is principally in order to Religion to the knowing and enjoying of God and understanding the Means in order to that end The Maker and Governour of the Universe hath wisely compensated the want of this in Brutes by bestowing on them a transcendent Sharpeness as to the other especially the Corporeal Senses which are more quick and apprehensive in them than in those of Humane Race Eagles and some other Fowls are more quick-sighted than Men. Some sorts of Dogs are note for their excellent Smelling though any Considerate Man may see that this excellent Quality is not so much for themselves as for their Masters for the Benefit and Advantage of their Owners yea most Beasts have a wonderful Acuteness and Dexterity as to their Outward Senses above Men and that because God hath bestowed some better thing upon Man viz. a Rational Soul In which respect it is said He teacheth us more than the Beasts of the Earth and maketh us wiser than the Fowls of Heaven Job 35.11 Therefore Pliny and Plutarch who blame the Conduct of Nature because all Creatures are armed but Man who comes helpless into the World talk very unphilosophically for they seem to forget that Man hath Reason which is better than Horns Shells c. They speak as if they were unacquainted with the Excellent and Noble Nature of this Faculty which is far superiour to all that is in Brutes and shews the great and singular Felicity of Man viz. that it consists not in the Operations of the lower Faculties but in the Perfections of the Rational Endowments It remains now that I answer an Objection and then put a Period to this Part of my Undertaking It may be said Are there not many Useless and Superfluous Animals in the World Yea is there not a great Number of Hurtful and Mischievous Creatures on the Earth and in the Air and 't is likely in the Waters too How can a Wise Providence be proved from the Existence of such Creatures as Foxes Otters Weesels Pole-Cats Rats and Mice To what purpose could Spiders Flies Fleas Lice Wasps Hornets Caterpillars or Owls Kites Valtures or Frogs Toads Serpents Vipers Scorpions be made Doth
Nature intrinsecally but extrinsecally and relatively as they are useful to Mankind some way or other Even those Creatures that are harmful are really good for some Ends as we know and experience And there may be a Goodness in some of the Creatures which as yet we do not see but afterwards may display it self and future Ages may have the happiness to make these Discoveries though the past and present ones enjoy the Good but know it not To shut up all no one part of the Creation is superfluous and unprofitable every thing hath its proper Goodness That is in other terms the Whole World is full of God and of his Providence And yet I have not yet spoken of Man the Top of all the Visible Creation in whom the Wonders of God's Care and Providence are chiefly manifested But of Him I will distinctly and professedly speak in my next Essay CHAP. XII This Argument which hath been used all along in this Discourse to prove a Deity and Providence was made use of in the Old Testament by Job and by David in several of his Divine Hymns which are distinctly commented upon by St. Paul in the New Testament by the Christian Writers of the succeeding Ages by Pagan Philosophers and Poets whose memorable Testimonies are cited The Proper Inferences from the whole are these 1. We are obliged to own a Deity in the visible Works of the Creation 2. We have hence Incouragement to contemplate the Creatures and to study the Works of Nature 3. By this Contemplation and Study we should be induced not only to acknowledg but to worship love and obey the Omnipotent Creator and to devote our whole Lives to his Service and Honour BUT before I enter upon that let us seriously weigh the Worthiness of this Subject which I have been insisting upon and let us attend to the Proper Inferences which may be made from it That the matter of this Discourse may not seem to be unworthy of the Reader 's serious Thoughts I desire him to consider that this is the Argument which is used in the Holy Scriptures to prove a God and to convince Men of his glorious Perfections To begin with the Writings of the Old Testament Iob argues from the frame of the World and all the Creatures that are in it Ask now the Beasts and they shall teach thee and the Fowls of the Air and they shall tell thee Or speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee and the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Who knoweth not in all thâ—se that the Hand of the Lord hath wrought this In whose Hand is the Soul of every living thing The latter part of the 36 th Chapter of Iob and the 37 th 38 th and 39 th Chapters throughout treat of the Works of the Creation and thereby designedly evince the unlimited Power and unsearchable Wisdom of the Almighty How frequent is David on this Theme extolling God's Providence in respect of the Creatures the Heavens and Earth Living and Inanimate things He speaks like a true Religious Philosopher in the beginning of the 19 th Psalm The Heavens saith he declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy Work v. 1. He speaks of these inanimate things here and in other places as if they were endued with Sense Reason and Speech and could really declare and shew God's Power and Glory but the meaning is that they occasion others who are endued with those Faculties to declare and set forth the Divine Praises And hence the Heavens of which he particularly speaks here are call'd the Ministers of God's Word by some of the Antient Fathers And it might be observ'd that Shemesh Sol is as much as Minister it being derived from the Chaldee Shamash ministravit Day unto Day uttereth Speech and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledg ver 2. i. e. the Vicissitude of Days and Nights made by the motion of the Heavens declares God's Providence and instructs Men in the Knowledg of the Creator There is no Speech nor Language where their Voice is not heard v. 3. i. e. though these Heavenly Bodies be speechless though they silently roll about and make no Noise yet they may truly be said to have a Voice and there is no Nation or People in the World that do not hear it and loudly proclaim the Power and Wisdom of God For as he adds Their Line is gone out through all the World and their Words to the end of the World In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun which is as a Bridegroom c. His going forth is from the end of the Heavens c. ver 4 5 6. i. e. in the midst of the Firmament is placed the Royal Mansion of the Sun who sets forth at one extreme Point of the Heavens and passes through all Parts till he comes back to the same Point again and so visits all Climates of the Earth the remotest Countries under Heaven are sensible of the Virtue and Influence of his Universal Progress And then the Psalmist passes from the Consideration of the Heavens to the Word of God After he had spoken of the Book of Nature he proceeds to that of the Law thereby acquainting us that both set forth God's Glory the Beauty and Uniformity of the World and particularly of the Heavenly Bodies as well as the Written Word give us an assurance of his Infinite Perfections and Excellencies Again in Psal. 95. he is proved to be a Great God and a great King above all the reputed Gods of the Heathens because in his Hands are the deep places of the Earth the Strength of the Hills is his also The Sea is his and he made it and his Hands formed the dry Land v. 3 4 5. i. e. the Fabrick of the World all the admired Treasures of Heaven and Earth of Sea and Land are unquestionable Testimonies of his Godhead The Psalmist doth not think whatever some fancy that the present State of the Earth Sea and Heavens is deformed and disordered he praises and admires God in the Contemplation of them The whole 104 th Psalm is an Elegant Account of the Works of the Creation and of Providence for indeed it is impossible to separate these two all things that we see in the World prove not only the Being of a God but that he Rules them with Wisdom and Goodness And this you may observe here that this Divine Poet reckons up these Works of God according to the Mosaick Method i. e. in that order in which Moses represents them to have been produced at first by God when he made the World He first mentions Light which was the Product of the first day v. 2. then the Heavens and Firmament and the Angels the Inhabitants of those upper Regions of the World ver 2 3 4. which were created on the second day then the Earth Sea Springs and Rivers Plants Grass Herbs and Trees the third day's Work v. 5. c. after that the
Sun and Moon v. 19. which were made on the fourth day and the Fishes of the Sea which are the fifth day's Production v. 25 26. with which he concludes having supposed the Creatures of the Last day's Work in what he had said before The Sum of all his Philosophical and Religious Contemplations in this Excellent Hymn is comprised in those words O Lord how manifold are thy Works In Wisdom hast thou made them all He first acknowledges and at the same time admires the Wonderful Variety of the Works of the Creation and thence he rationally infers and declares that an Understanding and Wise Being was the Author of them From the serious Consideration of the Visible World his Mind devoutly but naturally rises to a sense of the First and Supreme Cause of it In the 148 th Psalm the same devout Poet extols God from the particular Consideration of the Creatures of all ranks and sorts first those in Heaven the Angels the Sun Moon Stars and Light v. 2 3. 2dly those that beâ—ong to the Waters Dragons which is a word â—hat here denotes all great Fishes and all deeps wherein they dwell v. 7. 3dly those in â—he Air as the Meteors viz. Fire i. e. Thunâ—er and Lightning Hail Snow Vapour stormy Winds v. 8. 4thly on the Earth viz. 1. Those â—hat are Inanimate as Mountains Hills â—ruitful Trees and Timber-trees among which the Cedar is chief and doth here represent all the rest v. 9.2 Living Creatures and first those that are Irrational wild Beasts and all Cattle creeping things and flying Fowl v. 10. Secondly Rational Mankind of what degree soever Kings and all People i. e. their Subjects Princes Iudges young and old of both Sexes In the 135 th Psalm v. 5 6 7. the same Subject but more briefly is treated of and in Psal. 136. v. 5 6 7 8 9. he gives a compendious but excellent Description of this Mundane System and of the Universal Furniture of it and thence excites Men to adore and magnify the Wise Creator of all And interspersedly in several other Psalms some of which I have had occasion to mention before he falls upon this Excellent Theme and admirably improves it to the purpose aforesaid If we pass to the New Testament we shall there also find this Argument used From the Fabrick of the World St. Paul proves to the Men of Lystra that there is a God a Living God in Contra distinction to the Gentile Gods or Idols rather From the making of Heaven and Earth the Sea and all things that are therein he argues the Existence of an All-sufficient and Self-subsistent Being Acts 14.15 And again Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of God from i. e. ever since the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead even those Invisible things are clearly manifested by those Visible Works that he hath wrought Or perhaps the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be from the Consideration of the Creation from this alone the invisible things of the Deity viz. his Power Wisdom and Bounty are seen and proved This way of proving the Divinity by the Works that are seen is used by Fathers and Philosophers by Christians and Gentiles by Sacred and Prophane Writers This World saith a Greek Father is the School of Rational Minds and the Nursery of that Knowledg which we have of a God Our own Make and that of the World wherein we live are Testimonies of a Deity saith Tertullian Basil the Great Gregory Nazianzen and Ambrose have written on the Six Days Works and have with a mighty Fluency of Stile pursued this Argument Athanasius in his Book against the Gentiles very closely and solidly manges this sensible Proof of a Deity Cyprian discourses after this rate that the Times and Seasons of the Year and the several Elements are obsequious and serviceable to Mankind that the Winds blow the Springs and Fountains flow the Corn and the Vines come to maturity and there is a Plenty of all other Fruits on the Earth from the disposal of God wherefore his Existence is not to be doubted of by any rational Person yea by any one that hath the use of his Senses Theodoret hath well demonstrated the Providence of God from the Consideration of the several Parts of the World Octavius in Minutius Felix hath a short but a very Witty and Elegant Oration to prove a God and Providence from the Make and Order of the upper and lower World Among the Moderns I will mention only our Divine Mr. Herbert in his Poem to which he gives the Title of Providence where he excellently displayeth the Wisdom of God in the Works of the Creation in the several particular Beings which are the Product of it It is an Admirable and Choice Piece of Divine Rapture The wisest Heads among the Gentiles as well as among Christians have prosecuted this Theme and have thought it to be of great force Much after the rate of the Great Apostle who tells us God left not himself without witness you may hear an Antient Philosopher speak It was fit saith he that God's Works should witness concerning him thus the Sun Night and Day the Air the whole Earth are Witnesses yea all the World bears Testimony to Him And a Noble Platonist hath in most select and excellent Words thus charactered the Divine Being He who hath disposed the Heavens into their admirable Order and Harmony who guides the Chariots of the Sun and Moon who is the Master of the Celestial Quire and by his Voice and Beck keeps time that the Musick of the Stars be true and those swift Bodies keep their Rounds exactly he who is the great Arbiter and Disposer of the Seasons of the Year who is the prudent Dispenser of the Winds and brings them out of their Treasures when he pleaseth he who shaped the vast Sea and formed the Spatious Earth and furnish'd it with Rivers he who nourishes and ripens the Fruits and stocks the World with living Creatures Tully in his Second Book of Divination proves a Soveraign Cause of all things from the admirable and exquisite Composure of the World The Beauty of this saith he and the Order of the Heavenly Bodies do even force us to acknowledg that there is an Excellent and Eternal Nature and that this is to be admired and adored by Mankind Whence comes it to pass saith Seneca that there is such a Multitude of Grateful Objects in the Universe which ravish our Ears Eyes and Minds Whence is there such an Abundance of things made as 't were to support our Luxury for 't is evident that there is Provision made not only for our Necessities but we are indulged even to Delight and Pleasures This is from the Riches of the Divine Being and the overflowing Bounty of his Excellent Nature I will conclude with that of the Poet Cùm dispositi quaesissem
they to be any Great Philosophers to do this There is not much curious Knowledg and Observation required in the more General Discharge of this Duty Do but look abroad and see what is before you and if you have honest and sincere Minds and affectionate Thoughts you will make a good use of what you see because you will presently behold God in the Creatures For the whole World is God's Image and therefore in its beautiful Proportions in its admirable Composure you will soon discern his Resemblance You will behold the invisible things of God in the visible and outward Shape of the World You will with ease find that there is that in the Creation which could proceed from none but an Eternal and Infinite Spirit from one that is Omnipotent and Omniscient Be conversant then in this Great Library be Students in this Book of Nature which even he that runs may read for the Character is very plain and legible and the Contents of this Large Volume are easily undestood Read the Godhead in the Sun Moon and Stars in the Air Earth and Sea but especially in the Creatures of the Animal Kingdom which are endued with Sense and Life these are all written in Capital Letters The Devout St. Anthony in Ecclesiastical Story was well vers'd in this Great Volume though he was never guilty of any other Learning he used to say to the Philosophers This is my Book and Body of Philosophy which I read viz. the Works which God hath made here I can read the Will of God and the Words of Heaven Such Scholars you may all be and that without any great Labour and Study for the Book is always before you and wide open and you may be always reading in it And though these things are neglected and despised because they are Common as Philo observ'd yet know that they are of themselves Admirable and worthy of your continual Thoughts and they will be of great use to you Be convinced of this that 't is not below a Christian Man to observe and meditate upon the Works of Nature The New Creature doth not destroy the Old or make it useless Whilest you search into the Works of God you will find God himself and you will acknowledg the infinite Understanding and Wisdom of the Maker of all things For he hath made the Earth by his Power he hath establish'd the World by his Wisdom and hath stretched out the Heavens by his Discretion Jer. 10.12 3. and lastly By acknowledging this Substantial Truth which I have been treating of and by contemplating the upper and the lower World let us be brought to glorify the Omnipotent Architect to praise and worship him to fear and serve him and to dedicate our whole Lives to him If the Heavens declare the Glory of God if those Celestial Lamps shew by their Light their Maker's Beauty and set forth his more Resplendent Glory of which the Sun and Brightest Stars are but Shadows yea if the meanest and most obscure Creatures do in their Kind and Measure celebrate his Praises if a Gnat or a Fly declare the Power and Wisdom of their Maker if even inamimate Creatures sing Te Deum to him then how much more are We obliged to praise and glorify him who have this Example before us and for whose sake all these things were made If all things every where be full of the Deity let not our Mouths be empty of his Praises That the World is a Temple was the Acknowledgment of the Pagans Mundi magnum versatile templum was Lucretius's Language though he was an Atheist But Plutarch goes further and tells us that this World is a most Holy and Divine Temple Let us then dedicate it to God's Service and let us sing Praises to him in his own Temple Let us worship him in his Own House as Philo calls this World Let us perpetually extol the Builder of it for the regular Frame excellent Beauty and wise Ordering of it And let us not only with our Tongues which are our Glory laud and magnify this Divine Founder but let us with all Reverence Serve and Obey him and be zealous of performing all Homage to him in our Lives All Creatures in their kind render some Service to him every thing pays him Tribute the Sun with its officious Heat and Light the Moon and Stars with their proper Influences the teeming Earth with all its Plants Flowers Fruits and Animals with all the Treasures that lie lock'd up in its Bowels the Water the Air the Fire Heat and Cold Summer and Winter do all obey him Let not Man then only be defective in his Duty Man who hath Skill to use all these things unto rational and artificial Ends which no other Creature can do Let him be brought by his Contemplation of the Visible World to a most Affectionate Devotion and all the Acts of a Sincere Religion Let him be led by the Consideration of those Divine Perfections which the wondrous Fabrick of the World discovers to be in God unto an entire Love of him and an ardent Desire to have intimate Communion with him and thereby to be rendred like unto him Who made these Beautiful Objects in the World but Beauty it self All the Glories of the Universe are but the Rays of that infinitely Glorious Light which is above Wherefore let us climb up by these Sun-beams to the Father of Lights let us by these glorious Manifestations of God in the Creatures make our Access to the Creator the Framer and Maker the Father of all things as Plato often calls him But let us rise higher than this Philosopher who yet was far exalted above all his Brethren-Philosophers let the Creatures lead us to the Blessed Author of the New Creation Christ Iesus our only Redeemer and Saviour the Essential Eternal Incomprehensible Wisdom by whom God made the Worlds as the Apostle expresly testifies Hebr. 1.2 Wherefore in God the Father and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord the same undivided and Eternal Godhead let all our Knowledg and all our Practice be terminated for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be Glory for ever Amen The End of the First Part. THE Second Part Wherein the Existence and Providence of God Are Proved from the Admirable Fabrick and Contexture OF MAN'S BODY CHAP. I. The Body of Man is more excellent and perfect than those of other Creatures as to its Stature and several of its Organs and Vessels This singular and peculiar Workmanship is elegantly express'd in Psal. Cxxxix 14 15 16. which Words are Commented upon In the first Noble Cavity viz. the Head are observable the Skull with its Sutures and its Membranes with which it is lined the Brain the Face with its Forehead Nostrils Cheeks Lips Chin Mouth to which latter belong the Palate Uvula Tongue Teeth The wonderful Contexture particular Vse and Design of all which Parts are distinctly set forth and shew'd
also if duly managed and applied will make those that are conversant in it as Good as they are Wise For Physicks do naturally conduct to Ethicks A Natural Philosopher will be if not otherwise hurt a Good Moralist His intimate conversing with Matter and Bodies will raise him to an Apprehension of an All-Wise Spirit Though he deal in Groveling Vegetables and stoops and bends to the Earth to gather them yet even this Posture makes him more Erect towards Heaven and exalts his Mind to the Author of Nature An Anatomy Lecture is a Preparative to one of Divinity And whilest he views and considers the Exactness of the Humane Fabrick he is thence effectually provok'd to acknowledge revere and worship the Divine Architect FINIS ERRATA PART I. page 88. line 27. read correct p. 121. l. 1. r. Stagâ—ritâ— p. 174. l. last but one r. there by p. 192. l. 21. r. Halieuticâ—â— p. 204. l. 24. for there r. they p. 229. l. 5. r. noted PART II. p. 46. l. last but one r. admitting p. 48. l. 7. r. insite p. 50. l. 22. insert perhaps before not p. 64. l 22. r. Colick p. 72. l. 19. r. come p. 75. l. 11. after manner make p. 88. l. 19. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 94. l. 1. bloâ— out â— And some other Literal Faults require Amendment Books written by the Reverend Mr. John Edwards AN Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts of the Old and New Testament which contain some Difficulty in them with a probable Resolution of them in two Volumes in 8 o. A Discourse concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament with a Continued Illustration of several Difficult Texts throughout the whole Work in three Volumes in 8 o. Some Thoughts concerning the several Causes and Occasions of Atheism especially in the present Age with some brief Reflections on Socinianism and on a late Book entituled The Reasonableness of Christianity as delivered in the Scriptures 8 o. Now in the Press and will speedily be published A Discourse shewing the Unreasonableness of a Late Writer's Opinion concerning the Necessity of only One Article of Christian Faith And of his other Assertions in his late book of the Reasonableness of Christianity and in his Vindication of it With a Brief Reply to another professed Socinian Writer All sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lyon and John Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-yard 1696. * Aristotle Pliny Aelian Theophrastus c. †Albertus Magnus Gesner Aldrovandus Jonston Willoughby â—ay Lister c. * Wisd. 13.5 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antonin †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Monarchiâ * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Placit Philosoph †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dissertat 3. * Tota hujus mundi concordia ex discordibus constar Nat. Quaest. l. 7. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clem. Alex. Admonit ad Gentes * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quaest. Resp. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Plantat Noë * Theory of the Earth Book 2. chap. 11. * De nat Deor. lib. 2. lib. de Officiis †Lord Bacon Wisdom of the Antients * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just. Mart. Quaest. Resp. ad Graec. †Append ad part 1. Eth. * Opera Philosoph * Essay concerning the Notion of Nature * Sol siderum princeps cujus luce omnia vestiuntur Adv. Gent. l. 1. c. 18. †Job 31.26 36.32 * More Nevoch l. 3. c. 29. †Problemâ— de Creatione ‖ Cont. Cels. l. 5. * Laert. in Epicuro in Heraclito * In Cratylo †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicunt sidera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quòd semper in cursu sint Saturn l. 1. c. 23. * In his Aurora * Ovid. Fast. l. 6. * Kepler Epit. Astron. Copernic l. 1. * Dial. 2. †Epit. Astron. Copern lib. 4. ‖ Lansberg Progymnas * Geograph * Jos. 10.13 †Isa. 38.8 * Discourse concerning the Stile of Scripture * De Magnete l. 6. c. 3. * Psal. 8.6 c. * Immortality of the Soul Book 3. chap. 13. * Lib. 9. Sect. 4. cap. 16. usque ad finem Sect. * Mr. Hook 's Attempt to prove the Motion of the Earth * D. Burnet Theoria Tellur * Plut. de Isid. Osir. * â—uid cùm ordo temporum ac frugum stabili varietate distingultur nonne auctorem suum parentémque testatur Ver â—â—què cum suis floribus aestas cum suis messibus autumni maturitas grata hibernae olivitas necessaria c. Minur Fel. in Octav. †Horat. ‖ Dr. Brown Vulg. Er. l. 6. c. 5. * Dr. Brown Cyrus 's Garden ch 4. * Psal. 89.37 †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de Orac. defect * Sidus in tenebrarum remedium ab naturâ repertum Nat Hist. l. 2. c. 9. * Theory of the Earth Book 2. chap. 11. * Quanquam ad mundi cohaerentiam pertinent tamen spectaculum hominibus praebent nulla enim est insatiabilior species nulla pulchrior De Nat. Deor. * Ipse mundus quoties per noctem ignes suos fudit tantum stellarum innumerabilium refulsit quem non intentum in se tenet Le Benefic l. 4. c. 22. * Manilius * Tanta dispositio tanta in servandis ordinibus temporibusque constantia non potuit aut olim sine provido artifice oriri aut constare tot seculis sine incolâ potente aut in perpetuum gubernari sine perito sciente rectore quod ratio ipsa declarat Lactant. Instit. l. 2. c. 5. †B. Ricciol Almagest Nov. Vol. 2. * Dr. Brown Cyrus ' s Garden ch 5. * Hist. of the World Chap. 1. Sect. 11. †Mr. Herbert's Poems Of Providence * Psal. 147.4 †Vossius de Theol. Gentil l. 2. c. 35. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Monarch †Quid enim potest esse tam apertum tamque perspicuum quùm coelum suspicimus coelestiáque contemplari sumus quà m esse â—liquod Numen praestantissimae mentis quo haec reguntur De Nar â—eor l. 1. * Esse igitur Deos ita perspicuum est ut id qui neget vix eum sanae mentis existâ—â—mem †Mon. l. 1. c. 4. ‖ Hist. Hisp. * About A. D. 1284. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Jer. 10 1â— * Archaâ—olog Philos. cap. 8. * Tycho Brahe in Epist. * Shamajim à Sham ibi majim aquae †Quid mirabilius aquis in coelis stantibus Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 31. c. 4. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. * Deut. 11.14 Joel 2.23 * Cibus arborum imber Nat. Hist. l. 17. c. 2. * Gen. 19.13 * Dr. Woodward Nat. Hist. of the Earth Part 4. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sympos l. 4. quaest 2. * Ignis suâ naturâ in verticem surgit si nihil illi