Creatures be fo exceeding fmall, what must we think of their Mufcles and other Parts ? Certain it is, that the Mechanifm by which Nature performs the Mufcular Motion, is exceeding finall and curious, and to the performance of every Muscular Motion, in greater Animals at leaft, there are not fewer diftinct parts concerned than many Millions of Millions, and these visible through a Microscope.

Ufe. Let us then confider the Works of God, and obferve the Operations of his Hands; Let us take notice of, and admire his infinite Wifdom and Goodness in the Formation of them: No Creature in this fublunary World, is capable of fo doing, befide Man, and yet we are deficient herein: We content our felves with the Knowledge of the Tongues, on a little skill in Philology, or Hiftory perhaps, and Antiquity, and neglect that which to me feems more material, I mean Natural History, and the Works of the Creation : I do not dif commend, or derogate from those other Studies: I should betray mine own Ignorance and Weakness should I do fo; I only wish they might not altogether juftle out, and exclude this. I wish that this might be brought in fafhion among us; I wifh Men would be fo equal and civil, as not to difparage, deride, and · vilifie thofe Studies which themfelves fkill not of, or are not converfant in; no Knowledge can be more pleasant than this, none that doth fo fatisfie and feed the Soul; in com

1

parifon

T

parifon whereto that of Words and Phrafes feems to me infipid and jejune. That Learning (faith a wife and obfervant Prelate) which confifts only in the form and pedagogy of Arts, or the critical Notions upon Words and Phrafes, hath in it this intrinfical imperfection, that it is only fo far to be esteemed, as it conduceth to the knowledge of Things, being in it felf but a kind of Pedantry, apt to infect a Man with fuch odd Humours of Pride, and Affectation, and Curiofity, as will render him unfit for any great Employment. Words being but the Images of Matter, to be wholly given up to the ftudy of thefe, what is it but Pygmalion's Frenzy, to fall in Love with a Picture or Image? As for Oratory, which is the beft skill about Words, that hath by fome wife Men been efteem'd, but a voluntary Art, like to Cookery, which fpoils wholesome Meats, and helps unwholesome, by the variety of Sauces, ferving more to the Pleasure of Taft, than the Health of the Body.

It may be (for ought I know, and as fome Divines have thought) part of our Business and Employment in Eternity, to contemplate the Works of God, and give him the Glory of his Wifdom, Power, aud Goodnefs, manifefted in the Creation of them. I am fure it is part of the Bufinefs of a Sabbath-day, and the Sabbath is a Type of that Eternal Reft for the Sabbath feems to have been firft inftituted for a Commemoration of the Works of the

7

the Creation, from which God is faid to have upon the Seventh-Day.

refted upon

It is not likely that Eternal Life shall be a torpid and unactive ftate, or that it shall confift only in an uninterrupted and endless Act of Love; the other Faculties fhall be employed as well as the Will, in Actions fuitable to, and perfective of their Natures; efpecially the Understanding, the Supreme Faculty of the Soul, which chiefly differenceth us from brute Beasts, and makes us capable of Virtue and Vice, of Rewards and Punishments, fhall be bufied and employed in contemplating the Works of God, and obferving the Divine Art and Wisdom, manifefted in the Structure and Compofition of them; and reflecting upon their Great Architect the Praife and Glory due to him. Then shall we clearly fee to our great fatisfaction and admiration, the Ends and Ufes of thefe Things, which here were either too fubtle for us to penetrate and difcover, or too remote and unacceffible for us to come to any diftinct view of, viz. the Planets, and fix'd Stars; thofe illuftrious Bodies, whofe Contents and Inhabitants, whofe Stores and Furniture we have here fo longing a defire to know, as alfo their mutual fubferviency to each other. Now the Mind of Man being not capable at once to advert to more than one thing, a particu lar View and Examination of fuch an innumerable number of vaft Bodies, and the great multitude

multitude of Species, both of animate and inanimate Beings, which each of them contains, will afford Matter enough to exercife and employ our Minds, I do not fay, to all Eternity, but to many Ages, fhould we do nothing elfe.

Let it not fuffice us to be Book-learned, to read what others have written, and to take upon Truft more Falfhood than Truth: But let us our felves examine things as we have opportunity, and converfe with Nature as well as Books. Let us endeavour to promote and encrease this Knowledge, and make new Difcoveries, not fo much diftrufting our own Parts, or defpairing of our own Abilities, as to think that our Industry can add nothing to the Invention of our Ancestors, or correct any of their Miftakes. Let us not think that the Bounds of Science are fixed like Hercules's Pillars, and infcrib'd with a Ne plus ultra. Let us not think we have done, when we have learnt what they have delivered to us. The Treafures of Nature are inexhauftible. Here is Employment enough for the vastest Parts, the moft indefatigable Induftries, the happiest Opportunities, the moft prolix and undifturb'd Vacancies. Multa venientis avi populus ignota nobis feiet Multa feculis tunc futuris, cum memoria noftri exoleverit refervantur. Pufilla res mundus eft, nifi in eo quod quarat omnis mundus habeat, Seneca Nat. Quæft. lib. 7. cap. 31. The People of the next Age hall know many things unknown to us : us: Many

are

are referved for Ages then to come, when we fhall be quite forgotten, no Memory of us remaining. The World would be a pitiful small thing indeed, if it did not contain enough for the Enquiries of the whole World. Yet, and again, Epift. 64. Multum adbuc reftat Operis, multumque reftabit, nec ulli nato poft mille facula precludetur occafio aliquid adbuc adjiciendi. Much Work ftill remains, and much will remain, neither to him that shall be born after a thousand Ages, will matter be wanting for new Additions to what hath already been invented. Much might be done, would we but endeavour, and nothing is infuperable to Pains and Patience. I know that a new Study at first, feems very vaft, intricate, and difficult; but after a little refolution and progress, after a Man becomes a little acquainted, as I may fo fay, with it, his Understanding is wonderfully cleared up and enlarged, the Difficulties vanifh, and the thing grows eafie and familiar. And for our encouragement in this Study, obferve what the Pfalmift faith, Pfal. 111. 2. The Works of the Lord are great, fought out of all them that have pleasure therein. Which though it be principally fpoken of the Works of Providence, yet may as well be verified of the Works of Creation. I am forry to fee fo little Account made of real Experimental Philofophy in this University and that thofe ingenious Sciences of the Mathematicks are fo much neg lected by us: And therefore do car

*Cambridge, where the Au

thor lived, at the first writing of this.

neftly