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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
Fixed Stars are above a thousand times bigger than it Now is it not more likely that the Earth moves than that these vast Bodies move from Place to Place I answer No the thing is not at all likely for the vaster these Bodies are the more easy is their Motion This is plain because where there are the more parts in Motion there the impulse is stronger and more vehement And where there is this Vehemency the Motion must needs be facile it being put on with so much Strength and Vigour especially if we remember that God impress'd this Motion at the very first and so it is natural and consequently is easy This I think sufficiently proves that they who argue from the Bigness of the Sun and other Heavenly Bodies to the Stability and Rest of them have no ground in Reason and Philosophy No they talk after a popular manner and because they see that Bulky Persons do not stir about with that nimbleness which is observ'd in others of a lesser Size they think it is so with the Sun and Stars or that they are idle and lazy and loth to bestir themselves Or it may be they proceed on that Vulgar Maxim viz. That great Bodies move slowly And because that those of the Heavens are very great they will not suffer them to move at all forgetting in the mean time that it is their very Nature to move and that their Make and Constitution prompt them to it Secondly The Copernican Opinion seems to confront a higher Principle than that of Reason If we will speak like Men of Religion and such as own the Bible we must acknowledg that their Assertion is against the plain History of the Holy Book for there we read that the Sun stood still in Ioshua's time and went back in King Hezekiah's Now this Relation is either true or false it must be one of them If it be the latter then the Inspired Scripture is false which I take to be as great an Absurdity as any Man can be reduced to If it be the former i. e. if the Relation be really true then the Sun hath a Diurnal Motion about the Earth for the Sun 's standing still could not be a strange and wonderful thing as it is here represented unless its general course was to move This any Man of Sense will grant And so likewise the Sun 's going back doth necessarily imply that it went forward before And if it did so surely it moved This I think no Man can deny and consequently it is evident that the Sun hath a Progressive Motion and goes from one part of the Heavens to the other If it be said as it is suggested by some that the Sun only seemed to stand or to go backward then farewell all Miracles for they may be only seeming Ones according to this Answer Which is as much as to say There are no such things in Truth and Reality If it be said as I know it is that this manner of speaking is only in compliance with the Speech and Notion of the Vulgar I grant indeed that the Scripture speaks so very often as I have elsewhere shew'd from several Instances both in the Old and New Testament yea even when it makes mention of some of the Heavenly Bodies the Expressions are according to the Capacity and common Apprehension of Men and not according to the Accuracy of the Thing So that I do not think that a Body of Natural Philosophy or a System of Astronomy is to be composed out of the Bible this being design'd for a far greater and higher Purpose Yet this I say that whenever the Scripture speaks after the foresaid manner concerning these things and several others it doth it in that manner that we may plainly see that the Words are not to be taken strictly and properly but only in a popular way as might be shew'd in abundant Instances But it is not so here for in the forenamed Places we have Matter of Fact plainly and directly set down we are told what Prodigious Things happen'd in those Days viz. that upon the Request of Ioshua the Sun stood still as well as the Moon stayed And that we might not think that this is spoken popularly and meerly according to the common Notion of Men the very same words are repeated and others are added to convince us that they must be meant in the plain and proper Sense of them So the Sun stood still yea in the midst of Heaven and hastned not to go down about a whole Day All this is said to let us know that it was a Reality and not an Appearance that what is here said is spoken properly and not in conformity to a receiv'd Opinion And if it should be said that the Hebrew word used in the former of these places is dum which signifies to be silent as well as to stand still any one that is not prejudiced may see that it is here of the latter Signification For in the next Verse gnamad stetit is the word and is apply'd to the Moon and immediately after to the Sun And the Seventy translate it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so in the other place it is in plain and intelligible Terms related that the Sun returned ten degrees by which degrees it was gone down Than which there can't be more perspicuous Terms to assure us that the Sun it self really moved backward Though vulgar Expressions are used at other times by the Sacred Writers which is readily acknowledged yet in such a Case as this when there is a plain Narration of what happened and when it is a Supernatural and Extraordinary Occurrence even a Miracle that is spoken of we cannot reasonably bring our selves to believe that they merely conform to the Apprehensions of others but we must needs be perswaded that they speak according to the Nature of the Things themselves The upshot then is this that the Sun moves round in a Diurnal Motion or else we must hold that the standing of it and its going back were no Miracles This to me is a very considerable Argument and I suppose will be thought so by those who reverence the Holy Scriptures and believe the Historical part of them to be true Thirdly Men do not frame right Notions concerning this lower World and the Nature of it whilst they defend the other Hypothesis For I find that they have a very mean Opinion of this Terrestrial Habitation such indeed as is both unworthy of God and of Themselves the chief Inhabitants of it For tho the Earth be a dull Sediment in respect of the Bodies of the Sun and Stars and though it be a shrivel'd Point in comparison of those vast Globes yet this is to be remembr'd that i◠far surpasses all those Celestial Regions and whatever is in them because it is made the Seat of Man of whom God hath so great a Care and to whom he bears so ineffable a Love What are the Heavens in
we might abate the Pythagorical Musick of the Spheres the seven-fold Pipe of Pan and the strange Cryptography of Gaffarel in his Starry Book of Heaven Lastly In the great Vsefulness of the Stars we may see the Footsteps and Impressions of the Beneficent Creator As he giveth the Sun for a Light by Day so he appointeth the Ordinances not only of the Moon but of the Stars for a Light by Night Jer. 31.35 And these Ordinances shall not depart from before him ver 36. they are of perpetual use for affording Light in the Night-Seasons and they are on other accounts unspeakably beneficial to Mankind The Fruitfulness of the Earth the alternate Succession of the Seasons of the Year our Bodily Constitutions and in part the Dispositions of our Minds our Health our Life depend upon the Influence and Vertue of the Stars Sir W. Rawleigh hath suggested very excellent things on this Subject Our Divine Poet expresses his Sentiments in this Matter thus And if an Herb have Power what have the Stars Doubtless our Plagues and Plenty Peace and Wars Are there much surer than our Art is sure It is not to be doubted that the Ministry of these Heavenly Bodies is made use of in the Government of this Inferiour World They act continually upon it and nothing is done without their Influence God hath set the Dominion of the Heaven in the Earth Job 38.33 Which is an irrefragable Text to prove that the Celestial Bodies have a Virtue and Power on all Things Below Both those which are Animate and Inanimate do someways feel the Operation of them Which proves the First and Original Disposer of them to be a Rational and Intellectual Agent This is he that maketh Arcturus Orion and Pleiades and the Chambers of the South Job 9.9 This is he that made and therefore as himself saith Iob 38.31 32. is able to bind the sweet Influences of the Pleiades the Seven Stars whose Influence is felt in the Spring and to loose the Bands of Orion which is most predominant in the Winter and produces Storms c. and to bring forth Mazaroth in his Season the same perhaps with Mazzaloth Planetae 2 Kings 23.5 for Lamed and Resh are often changed for one another but the Rabbins call the Twelve Signs by the name of Mazzaroth and to guide Arcturus with his Sons i. e. the Constellation call'd Septem Triones the Wain the Bear together with the other Stars and Constellations of this Southern Hemisphere which are call'd his Sons And in Amos 5.8 He that maketh the Seven Stars and Orion is the Periphrasis of God And we are bid there to seek him who doth this we are to worship God because of the Works of the Heavens His making them and together with them constituting the Seasons of the Year invites us to acknowledg and seek him The Heathens went too far and wildly asserted these Heavenly Bodies to be Gods But then we rightly use them when we argue a God from them And this we may easily do because they set forth the Wisdom of God and the other Excellent Attributes belonging to him This is the work of Astronomy rightly improved It points at the Creator and conducts us to him as the Wise Men of old were led to our Saviour by a Star I speak not of that vain Pretence to the knowledg of all sorts of future Events by Inspection into the Stars which some Impostors talk much of and would make us believe is a Real Science This hath been exploded by all the Wise and Sober Heads in every Age. And it might be observ'd that those who have been most addicted to this Iudiciary way of consulting the Stars and have confided in it have felt the Folly of it most signally Their giving credit to it did procure their Ruine as we see in Iulius Caesar Pompey Nero Iulian the Apostate and several others that might be named of a meaner Figure Their fond trusting to this Science falsly so call'd prov'd fatal to them and render'd their Ends unfortunate But the Study of the Stars is not to be blamed the Astronomical Art is harmless and innocent yea 't is useful and advantageous For by help of this we climb the Heavens and scale the Ethereal Battlements but with a Success different from that of the Antient Giants because they fought the Gods as the Poets talk but we find out the True One by contemplating the Starry Bodies We come acquainted with the great Nomenclator of the Stars He that calls them all by their Names and enabled Adam as a very Learned Man thinks at the same time that he gave Names to the Creatures here Below to do the same to these Above by which Names they were wont to be call'd by the Patriarchs some of which remain in the Bible as Gnas Chesil Chimah Job 5.9 Amos 5.8 but most of them are lost We step from Orb to Orb and measure the vast Heavens and rifle the several Vortices and make new Discoveries in those Celestial Regions and thereby frame fresh Arguments of Divine Wisdom in contriving the World and we extort an acknowledgment of a Deity even from the Irreligious and such as are most averse to the Notion of a God For from our Enquiries that Assertion of the Learned Philo is made good Whatever is contained in the Heavens is made and fitted with the greatest Reason and Congruity There is nothing but what is founded on the most rational Grounds And we arrive to the Determination of that Wise Roman What can be more plain and evident when we behold the Heavens and all Things belonging to them than that there is a Numen of a most excellent Understanding by whom these Things are order'd and govern'd And a little after he comes to this Final Result That there is therefore a God is so plain that for my part I look upon the Man that denies it to be out of his Wits For the Frame and Contrivance of the Heavens which is the Subject I have been insisting upon and now am finishing are sufficient to perswade any Man of a sound Mind of the Existence of an Invisible but Wise Being who is the Author and Contriver of this excellent System of the Upper World So little reason had Alphonsus X. K. of Leon and Castile Author of the Astronomical Tables that bear his Name to utter those blasphemous Words as we find related by Lipsius and Spondanus and others that he could have mended the Fabrick of the World if he had assisted at the Creation especially he could have order'd things better in the Heavens This was that Alphonsus as Lipsius observes who was deposed from his Throne expell'd his Kingdom and died hated of all Men. Mariana saith he ran mad being reproved by an Hermite for uttering the forementioned Words but whether that be true or no as there may be some Ground to question it it is agreed that he was a most
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