■fclMB^AJ— ".I'l ITT—- nrr^e' / ^x *- /-^ "^^/^^-^ -^>? 6i^*>i^^ .^ cyrli.' //.%t,oe. Srom t^e &i6rari? of (ptofeeBor ^amuef (gliffer tn (ttlemorg of 3ubge ^amuef (ttliffer QBrecfttnrib^e (J}re0enfe^ 6g ^amuef (gltffer (jBrecftinrib^e feong fo f^ feiBratg of (Princeton C^eofogicaf ^eminarj SC6 /I/O .( THE Reliaious Philofopher : O R, The Right U S E of Contemplating the ' OFT H E^j^^^lL/- E AT O i In the wonderful Strudure of Animal Bodies, and in particular Man. IT In the no lefs wonderful and wife Formation of the E l e m e n T s. and thek various Effeds upon Animal and Vegetable Bodies. And, III. In the moft amazing Strudure of the Heavens, with all its Furniture. Deftgn'd for the Conviction ofjtheijis and Infidels. ■y!f/'',^W'^''>\n Two V PLUMES. if>; ^-^A-. ■ . < throughout which, all the late Difcovcries in Jnamny, "P/f ;^/^^! JandV*--J, together with the various Exper-eats rnad^u^^^^^^^ ' to illuftrate the fp^, are moft copiouily handled by that leariiea thematician Dr.'' N i e u w e n t v t. CraitflateO ftoni tlje LowD utch. . . :^;-^;^-i-^.^r^'^TJ^^^ by the Reverend The Third Edition. ^ Jdorncd with CUTS. . L O NT> O N : f Pnnted for T H o. L o . o M A ., at the S,i^ and 'Bkck S..n in T.fer-n^erRo-^ M. DCC. XXIV, ^-r • -^ $f X >tvV -:;:^^ r'^^!^ To the Mod Honourable The * Lord PARKER, Lord High Chancellor of Great-Britain^ &c My Lord, OU gave an Intruder fo kind a Reception at his firft Addrefs, that he is delighted with a Pretence to make you a fecond. My firft Attempt was to prefent Your Lorddiip with imperfed Copies, after my Manner, of the Originals of feveral Famous French Tbilofo^ phers, drawn by one of the beft Hands, that of the moft In- genious Fontenelie-j t\\^n whom Sir Godfrey IQie Her, our ^ritiJJ} Jpelks.cm hardly give an Objed a more agreeable Likenels. Now, my Lord, I am going to entertain You with a Picture of another kind, drawn by an honeft^plain Dutch ^hilo/opher 5 Vi;^. a Sketch of DiVme Wifdo77i and Tro^idence, dif- play'd in the Works of the Creation 5 whofe mafterly Strokes afFed the Mind with a due Admiration for the Original, which he has fo well copied. This Treatife of Philofophy the Author calls The (I(ight Ufe of the Contemplation of the World^ 6cc. Thro' the Whole of which there runs fuch a Strain of unafFeded Piety, that I doubt not but his good Lntentions (even tho' he had not executed them fo well as he has donej muft have already procured him the inward Satisfaction of that Glorious Pro- mife made to the Father of the Faithful, and, thro' him, to all Believers, I will he thy Shield and exceeding great (J^eward, My Lord, I beg leave to call the Learned Phyfician, who is my Author, the Dutch Ray or Derham, be- * Now Earl of Macclesfield. caufe. ij The DEDICATION. caufe, like thofe two EngliJJ? Philofophers, he has To well prov'd the Wtjdom^ Towo'j and Goodnef^ of G o d by the ftrongefl Arguments., OhferVations on Facis., and Vcmonftrati^ ons drawn from Experiments, It were to be widi'd, that he had apply'd the Texts of Scripture, which he quotes, as properly as he has done his Philofophical Confiderations : But fince he has not fo w^ell fucceeded in what may be call'd hisDiVniityj I have lefcfeveral of the Texts out of this Tran- flation 5 but have retrench'd none of his GlolTes upon the particular Texts by him quoted, nor any of his Glorious Tautologies, in which he does fo often call upon Atheijls and Infidels-.^ excepting where his Comment is wrong, or the Repetitions are too tedious, and, 1 hope, unneceilary, even for convincing of thofe unhappy Men to whom he addrcfies himfelf 5 of whom it may be pronounced, that if they ftill perfift in the Denial of a G o d, after fo many ir- refragable Arguments, drawn from the wonderful Structure of Humane Bodies, and all the other Glorious Works in the Univerfe, God will then harden their Hearts, and, like the Pharifees, they will not be per/waded ^ tho^ one rofe from the Dead, However, my Lord, that I may not be thought to have a6ted raflhly in leaving out any thing of ray Author's, I have in this followed the Advice of feveral of my learned Friends, both philofophers and DiVineSy (to whom I communi- cated fome of thefe Sheets in MS.) and if 1 only faid that your Lordfhip approv'd of this defign'd Omiffion, the World wou'd be aifur'd that I had confulted a Philofopher and a Divine : for as the ^yal Society well know how Emi- nent your Lordfhip is in the firft of thefe Qualifications 3 fo many of the Clergy know, that a very able Prelate (now with God) and one mighty in Scripture-Learning, has openly profefs'd, that the Lord 2 a KKEK is one of thegreateji 'DiVines in England. And The DEDICJTTO N. iij And here, my LoR D, it may not be amifs to fucraeft to You, how great a Trouble I have met v/ith, in teaching my Author to fpeak E}{^lip? ; who by his affecting to ex- prefs all his Technical Words or Terms of Art in his pure vernacular Tongue, fuch as, for inftance, the Fems^ Arte- ries, Mu/clesj Fibres, Nerves, and a thoufand other Anatomic cat, Thyjical, and even Mathematical Words too, has made me take Pains unknown to my indolent Temper thro' the whole Courfeof my Life till now • for I have not been able to procure any Help in this Cafe, neither from the Living nor the Dead. Indeed the Tables and Figures of my Author (^which are very curious, and taken from the mofl: valuable Anatomifts and Philofophers) have been of good ufe to me, where there are proper References 5 but thofe were the only Afliftances I could procure here in England ^ fo that for the reft, I fhould have been forced to guefs at their Meaning, if my Learned Friend Mr. 'sGraVe/ande, ^rofejfor oi Mathema- tics and Experimental Thilofophy at Leyden, had not kindly in- terpreted to me thofe 1 could not unriddle: for there is no more Analogy between my Author's Terms and the Latin or Greeks commonly ufed by all other Philofophers, than there is between them and Hehreiv or Arabic, My Lord, I don't fay this to praife myfelf or blame my Author, (who is rather to be commended for keeping up the Dignity of our Sifter-Tongue, Daughter of the Teutonic, and Grand- daughter of the Gothic, the common Spring of all the We- ftern Languages of Europe, from North almoft to South 5 and indeed we ourfelves are not to be juftify'd in lofing and obfoleting fo many of our moft fignificant Anglo-Saxon Words and Phrafes, as has been well obferv'd before me by the Learned Mr. Baron Forte/cue, *) but to leflen my ow^n * t^ow one oi the ]\i{iiceso£th.e King's Sench. In his Ingenious Remarks upon the Lord Chancellor Fortefcjie's Book, intituled, I'ibe 2)iffere?2ce bet-ween an Jlbfikite and Limited Monarchy, Lend, Printed iovM. Tarkert 1 714. fincc reprinted, with Additions. iv The 'DE'DICATION. Fault, and more eafily to obtain your Lordfhip's Pardon, if the Difficulty of explaining thofe Terms has made me commit any Blunders. I can't conclude, my Lord, without endeavouring to prevent your Lordflbip in Favour of my Author, on account of one good Qiiality 3 which for being fo rare and uncom- mon to mod Writers, makes it appear the more lovely and charming in my Eyes : it is, that altho' he paffionately endeavours throughout his whole Work (and repeats it fo often, almoft in every Section) to magnify the Wifdom and Goodnefs of G o D, and to point out his Great Ends and Purpofes in all the Works of the Creacipn 3 yet he is fuch an Enemy to Pious Frauds, and to the fupporting any of the Divine Attributes above-mentioned by wrong, or even doubtful and precarious Arguments, that he ufes none in confuting the Jtheijl and Sceptic, but fuch as will bear even Mathematical Demonftration : This has made him a little too flrid:, it may be, in placing under the Clafs of Things unlqiown^ the Motion of the Earthy arid the reft of the Planets about the Sww,as that great Philofopher,Dr. C/^r4e,waspleas'd to obferve, when I communicated to him the Contents of this Work 3 That he could not hut ivonder extreamly^ that in the i^th Contemplation, the Motion of the Earth jhould be placed among Uncertainties, after that the parallax of the Annual Motion is fo notorioufly apparent in the ^hdnomeyia of Comets, Sec. But 1 forget, my Lord, that lam wafting thofe preci- ous Minutes which your Lordfhip employs lo ufefully in the Service of your King and Country : That you may long employ them fo, is the fincere and hearty Wi(h of, My Lord? Tour Lordship's wtftm. May 13. j^ofi obUged, faithful and moji humble Servant, \^ * ^ J. Chamberlayne. I F T T F R Xj 1^ JL JL jLj XV FROM The Reverend ^ Mr. Desaguliers to Jorn Chamberlayne, Efq; relating to the fol- lowing Treatife. HAVE read your Tranflation of Dr. Nieuwentyfs ex- cellent Treatife ; and highly approve your Defign of Pub- liihing it, as it will be of great Service to Religion and Thilofo^Ioy. The Dodtor's Realbn that he gives for writing his Book in T^iitch (namely, that a great many Atheiftical Books having been written in that Language, he chofe to confute the Oppolers of a Pro- vidence in the fame) will be as powerful a Motive for the tranflating it into Englifh ; fmce we have not been behind-hand with our Neighbours in publilliing the impious Conceptions and blalphe- mous Raillery of our Scoffers at Religion. If liich of them as had been able, had publifh'd their crude Notions in any of the learned Languages, their Books wou'd have needed no Anfwer, their Readers wou'd have defpis'd them : But their Profelytes are gain*d among the Weak and Ignorant, or liich conceited Debauchees as are glad to be fupply'd with Means of defending their Immorahties, by attacking- Religion with a Ihew of Wit and Argument. W H E N an Atheift has the Impudence to call himlelf aPHiLoso- PHER, fome well-meaning Perfons, that have not muchlook'd into Nature, are apt to be prejudiced againft the Study of it ; as if the * Now Doftor of Laws. Thilofo. viij A LETTE ^from Mr. Defaguliers, eceit, againiL which the Apodle has vvarn'd us, had been the Contemplation of the Works of the Creation : Whereas it was only the Sophiftry of the Schools,^ contriv'd to dif- guife Error, and defend the Syftem of the fuperftitious Heathen Di- vinity. H E that reads Nieuwentyt, will eafily fee that a Thilofopher cannot be an Atheift ; and if it were true, that a Smattering in Phy- fics will oive a proud Man a Tindure of Jtheifm, a deep Search in- to Nature^vill certainly bring him back to a Religious Senfe of G o d's Wifdom and Providence. T H o' we have lately had feveral very good Books upon this Sub- ject, this will not be lels acceptable, becaufe it contains feveral fine Obfervations and Experiments, which are altogether new, as is alfo his Manner of treating the moft common Thanomena ; from which he deduces admirable Confequcnces in favour of a Religious Life. And I think I may fay this for the Tranjlation^ that it will perhaps do more Good than the Original ; becaufe in giving us all his Ar- guments for Natural Religion^ you have omitted thofe which his too eager Zeal made him alfo draw from the Modern "Philofophy for Re- meaVd Religion ; the Weaknefs of which latter might give thofe Free -Thinkers occafion to triumph, who would be ftruck dumb at Convidions from the former. If I can be of any Service in helping you to look over the Sheers, you may readily command, Sir, Tour moji Humble Channel-Row, Wefiin- Aud Obedient Servant^ feb. 1. 17 r|-. J. T. D. 1 THE CO O F T H E FIRST VOLUME. The I N T R O D U C T I O N. pa^. v. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. Sea. ^^^ HE true Difference betiueen Atheifis, andthofe that jear GOD. Sea. II. In order to bring Atheifls to Reafm^ it is necejfary to enquire into the Caufes and Remedies of Atheifm. Sea. III. T/;^F/r/? Cfl«/? /x Inordinate Self- Love. Sea IV. The Means to prevent this inordinate Selj-Love. v.. The Second Caufe is inordinate Ambition. VI. The Remedy again ft this Evil. VII. Concerning the Death of Spinofa. VIII. The third Caufe is Ignorance. IX. Means to prevent this Evil. X. The fourth Caufe, is too great a Conceit of one* i oiun IVifdom. XI. Spinofa briefly confuted. •—*— - XII. The Remedies againft this Fourth Caufe. XIII. The fiffl Steps to Athefn are Prejudices. XIV. The Means to cure Men of thefe Prejudices. XV. The fecond Step y the abfurd or virong Manner of deftribing Nature. XVI The Inconveniencies of deducing every Thing from an Hypothefis. XVII. The Remedies againfl this Evil. XVIII. Another Remedy XIX. The Ufe of Hypothefes. XX. A third Inducement to Atheifm ^ to admit of no Final Caufes. XXI. The Remedies againfl this -wrong Notion. XXII. The Fourth Inducem.ent is Difputes. XXIII. Means to prevent the fame. b Sea. XXIV, The CONTENTS. Sed. XXIV. 7he Abufe of Academical D'fputes. Seft. XXV. The Fifth Inducement^ Jnattention or Heedlefnefs. Sed. XXVI. Mans to prevent fuch Inattention. Sed. XXVII. Why we only make life of Proofs drawn from Natural Philofophy. Seft. XXVIII. Eecaufe GOD is pleased to make ufe of this Way in his Holy Word Seit. XXIX. The General Proof or Demonfiration of a GOD. Scd. XXX. A particular Manner of Corroborating thtfe Proofs in fome other Cir- cumftances. Sed. XXXI. A General Proof that the Scriptures are of a Divine Original. Si^Si. XXXII. No t roofs can be brought of the Divinity of the Alcoran of the Ma- hometans. Sect. XXXIII. A Jhort Account of what is propcfed to be 'done in the following Work. CONTEMPLATION I. f i. Of the Vanity of all worldly Things. Seft. I. Every Man is placed here without his own Concurrence, Sed. II. And mu/i be convinced of the Uncertainty of his Life. Seft. III. He mtifl likewife be convinced of the Vanity of all worldly Things with refpeB to himfelf. Sed. IV. It is not de fir able to live here continually , tho in Health. Seft. V. The miferable Condition of the Atheifls. Seft. VI. The Advantages which they that Love and Fear a God enjoy. Sed. VII. It is therefore neceffary to feek for the Demonjiration (fa Gody Pf. xiv. i . Sed. VIII. The Tranfition to the following Contemplations. CONTEMPLATION H. ^7. Of all that is Vifihle., and of Our fehes in farticuLir. It is neceffary to call upon GOD at the Beginning. god's Eternal Exiflence proved from the Creatures. The fame proved from Romans i. 20. The Contemplation of Ourfelves in general. The Contemplation of our Body^ which is Earth, That the Body does not think. The Soul demonftrated. Sea. VIII. Sea. I. / Sea. II. ( Sea. III. Sea. IV. Sea. V. Sea. VI. Sea. VII. The CONTENTS. Seft. VIII. No Man proceeds from himfelfy mrfrom his Parents y butjrom another. Sed. IX. 7hat our Support is from another. Seft. X. And this other Beings either kmiusy or is ignorant of what he doeth. Seft. XI. That our Maker and Preferver is Wife, Mighty, and Merciful. Seft. XII. The Tranjition to the foUoiuing Contemplations. CONTEMPLATION \\{ p. 14. of Jome particulars in the Mouth, Se6t. I. Concerning the Teeth. Sed. II. Of the Enamel of the Teeth, Sea. III. Of the Lips. Sea. IV. Of the Glands of the Mouth. Sed. V. Of the Tongue. Sea. VI. Of the Throat. Sed. VII. Of the Wind-Pipe. Sea. VIII. Con"jiSiions from what has beenfaid above. Sea. IX. About Sucking, and of Places from which the Air is exhaufledl Sed. X. Sucking, as performed by Children. Sed. XI. ConvtBions from the foregoing Obfervations. CONTEMPLATION IV. ^ 20. Of the Tl?roatj Stomachy and 'Bowels, Sed. I. Concerning the Throat. Sed. II. The Strait and Circular Fibres of the Throat. Sed. III. Of other Tunicles or Coats of the Throat. Sed. IV. ConviEiions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sed. V. Of the Stomach. Sed. VI. T'he Fluids of the Stomach and Mufcular Valve. Sed. VII. The Fibres oj the Stomach. Sed. VIII. The Mucilage, or Slime, of the Stomach. Sed. IX. Of Hunger. Sed. X. The Ufes of the Guts. Sed. XI. The Mefentery. Sed. XII. The Glands of the Inteflines. Sed. XIII. The Wrinkles, Valves, and Inteftinum Redum. Sed. XIV. The Ufes oj the Oblique, and Lateral Mufcles of the Bel/y. b a Sed. XV. The CONTENTS. Sect. XV". T^he Vfe oj the Pyramidal Mufcles. Sect. XVI. rheVfeof the Right Mufcles. Seer. XVII. Orifices in the Mufcles Jor the Seminal J/eJfels. Sect. XVIII. 7he Voluntary and Spontaneous Motions of the Inteftinum Redum. CONTEMPLATION V. p. 31. Of the Venx Lacier, and Dudtus Chylicus. Sect. I. The Tranjition. Sect. II. The Venae Lacfteas and Receptaculum Cbyli in a Dog. Sect. III. The Receptacle of the Chyle in Humane Creatures. Sect. IV. The Courfe oj the Chyle to the Heart. Sect. V. The Valves in the Dxx^usQhyVihxwSy Ven« Lafteae, ^KtiVafaLytn- phatica. Sect. VI. The Protrujton of the Chyle. Sect. VII. The Vahe in the Vena Subclavia. Sect. VIII. ConviBtons from the foregoing Obfervatiotts. CONTEMPLATION VI. p. 56. Of the Heart, Sect. 1. The General life of the Heart. Sect. II. The Defcription of the Heart. ect. III. The Eminence or Protuberance in the Vena Cava. ect. IV. The Auricles of the Heart. Sect. V. The Operation of the Heart. Sect. VI. The Courfe of the Mufcular Fibres. Sect. VII. The ABion of the Valves of the Veins. Sect. VIII. ConviSiions from the foregoing Obfernjations, Sect. IX. The Valves of the Arteries. Sect. X. The Lateral Mufcles of the Heart. Sect. XI. The Force and Power of the Hearty reprefented by Ccmparifons. Sect. XII. T/;^ Pericardium, or little Bag of the Heart. Sect. XIII. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations, CON- The CONTENTS, CONTEMPLATION VII. p. 44. Of (^Jjfiration. Sect. I. The Air is neceffary to the Blood. Sect. II. The Blood Vejfels and Afpera Arteria in the Lungs, Sect. III. The Glands in the PJ/ind-Pipe. Sect. IV. A Hundred Mufcles vequifite towards Refpiration. Sect. V. Without Air this whole StruBure is ufelefs. Sect. VI. The Properties of Expanded Air. Sect. VII. The Comparifon of Refpiration with a Pair of Bellows. Sect. VIII. An Experiment upon the Lungs in Vacuo. Sect IX. An Experiment with a little Bottle oflVater. Sect. X. The Experiment of a Syringe in Vacuo. Sect. XI. ConviEiions from the foregoing Obfervations . Sect. XII. 77?^ Vfe of Refpiration. Sect. XIII. The Difpojition of the Air in the Time of Peftilence. Sect. XIV. The Air leaves fomething in the Blood. Sect. XV. ConviEiions from the foregoing Obferuations. CONTEMP LATION VIIL ^. [57.] 53. Of the StruEiure of the Veins, Sect. I. The Tranfition to the Veins* Sect. II. The Courfe of the Arteries. Sect. III. The Courfe of the Veins. Sect. IV. ConviEiions from both the foregoing SeEiions. Sect. V. A rough Reprefentation of the Circulation of the Blood. Sect. VI. How often the Blood circulates in an Hour. Sect. VII. ConviBsons from the foregoing Obfervations. Sect. Vlll. Several Particulars, i. O/.faes of the Lateral Branches. Sect. IX. 2. The Arteries grow narrower. Sect. X. 3. The Arteries ContraSi the?nfehes. Seer. XI. 4. Jhe Pulfe is not felt. Sect, XII. 5 The CoTicurrence or ConjunSiion of the Veins. Sect. XIII. 6. The Divifon of the Arteries into Capillary Tubes. Sect. XIV. 6. The Narrownefi of the Tubes y lefjenstlje Swiftnefs of the Blood, Sect. XV. 7. The Veins grow wider. Sect. XVI. The CONTENTS. Sect. XVT. 8. The little Valves in the Veins. Sect. XVII. 9 of the Fibres in the Veins and Arteries. Sect. XVni. The Ufes of the Blood in General. Sect. XIX. 7he Enumeration of Jeveral Humours. Sect. XX. The Pajfage of the Urine. Sect. XXI. The Br^ajis of Women. Sect. XXII. The StruBure of the Seminal Vejf els. Sect. XXIII, ConviSlions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sect; XXIV. The Nourifiment and Motion of the Blood, not yet fully known. CONTEMPLATION K. ^. 67^ Of the Nerves J and briefly ef the Lymphatick, VcjJ^ls^ Glands., and Membranes. Sect. I. Tlje Tranfition to the Nerves. Sect. II. Different Opinions about the Matter that pajfes thro' the Nerves. Sect. III. An Experiment to prove a Nervous Juice. Sect. IV. Conviiiions from the foregoing Objervations; and an Experiment about Motion. Sect. V. The Nerves of Hearing are extended likeivife to the Tongue, Sect. VI. The Nerves of Tafiing. Sect. VII. Nerves that Operate vaith or without our Confent. Sect. VIII. T})e Par-vagum and Interccflal Nerves. Sect. IX. ConviEiions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sect. X. The unhappy Condition of the Atheijls. Sect. XI. The Nerves of the Midriff. Sect. XII. 7^^ Mryfj 0/?/;^ Inteftinum Redura. Sect. XIII. 77?^ Vafa Lyraphatica. Sect. XIV. The Glands. Sect. XV. The Membranes. Sect. XVI. The Dura Mater, or thick Membrane of the Brain, Sect. XVII. "the Flexibility of the Membranes. CONTEMPLATION X. p. 77- Of the Mufcles, Sect. I. The Tran/ition to the Mufcles. Sect. II. Of the Mufcles in General. Sect. III. The Defcription of the Mufcles. s Sect. I^ The CONTENT S. Sect. IV. 'The Strength of the Mufdes conjifi in their many Fibres. Sect. V. Double Mufcles. Sect. VI. Mufcles yet more doubled. Sect. VII. The Mufcles oj the Fingers. Sect. VIII. Ofthejeims. Sect. IX. The Infertion of the Tendons. Sect. X. This Infertion of the Tendons prevents aU Inconveniencies. Sect. XI. A Mufcle exerts a greater Force againjl a [mailer IVeight. Sect. XII. The Reafon luhy a greater Force is made ufe of by the Mufcles againfi afmaller Weight Sect. XIII. ConviElions fro7n the foregoing Obfervations. Sect. XIV. The very great Strength of the Mufcles. Sect. XV. ConviEiions from the foregoing Obfervations, Sect. XVI. Tranfition to the Demonftration oj the Force of the Mufcles, Sect. XVII. BrieJ Demonflration of the Force of the Mufcles. Sect. XVIII. The Different Courfe of the Mufcular Fibres. Sect. XIX. ConviElions from the foregoing Obfervations. CONTEMPLATION XL ^ io8. Oj the ^ones. Sect. I. The Tranfition to the Bones. Sect. II. The Skull and Bones of the Head. Sect. III. The Back-Bone. Sect. IV. The Ufes of this StruBure of the Back-Bone. Sect. V. The Vertebra. Sect. VI. The Ribs. Sect. VII. The Hip-Bones. Sect. VIII. The Thigh-Bone. Sect. IX. The Teeth. Sect. X. The Bones in unborn Children. Sect. XI. The Bones are produced from a fluid Matter. Sect. XII. Pfnlm CIX. ver. 18. Sect. XIII. Bones without Nerves. Sect. XIV. Marrow. Sect. XV. Water and Oyl together ferve to render the Parts fmooth. Sect. XVI. Oyl and Water thus mingled^ inflnuate themfelves into the Joints. Sect. XVII. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. CON- The CONTENTS. CONTEMPLATION XIL p. 1 18, Of the Sight. Sect. I. T'ranjition to the Sight. Sect. II. The External StYuElure of the Eye. Sect. III. The Properties of Light. Sect. IV. Concerning RejraEiion or Breaking of the Rays. Sect. V. An Experiment of Rays pajpng from Air into Water. Sect. VI. An Experiment oj the RefraEiion of Rays paffmg from Water into Air. Sect. VII. An Experiment j Jhevjing that Rays falling at Right Angles are not Re- fraBed. Sect. VIII. Divergent Rays made Convergent J and forming and invented Image. Sect. IX. An Experiment (hewing the fame. Sect. X. A Second Experiment in a dark Chamber. Sect. XI. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sect. XII. The Eye is a Dark Chamber. Sect. XIII. No Images by Divergent Rays. Sect. XIV. The Tranfparency of the Tunica Cornea. Sect. XV. 7he Aqueous Humour. Sect. XVI. The Chryflalline Humour. Sect. XVII. Jhe Vitreous Humour. Sect. XVIII. How the Image is jorm'd in the Eye, and ConviSiions from the fore- going Obfervations. Sect. XIX. Several Remarks ; firji, that the Eye is black within. Sect. XX. The Second Remark ; That the Chryflalline Humour is a Micro fcope: And ConviSiions frojn thence. Sect. XXI. The Third Remark ; Upon feeing at Jeveral Di/lances : An Experiment thereupon. Sect. XXII. The Fourth Remark ; Upon the Opening and Shutting the Black of the Eyey or Pupily with an Experiment proving the fame. Sect. XXIII. ConviBions fy(im the foregoing Obfervations. Sect. XXIV. The Sun necejjary to Sight : And ConviBions from all the foregoing Obfervations CONTEMPLATION XIIL /> 134. Of the Hearing. Sect. I. The hflrvments of Hearing unknown. Sect. II. But they are fiili fufficient to prove the Wifdom of GOD. Sect. III. The CONTENT' S. Seii;. III. 7 he External StruBure of the Ear, Se6t. IV. The Auditory Tube, and the Membrane called the Tympanum, or Drum. Sea. V. 7he Cavity called the Drum, the Bones of the Ear, and the Chorda oy Little-String. Sed. VI. The Motion of thofe Injiruments. Seft. X''!!. The Openings in the Circumference of the Cavity of the Drum. Sed. VIII. The Labyrmth, or Maz.e of the Ear. Sed. IX. The Auditory Nerves. Scd. X. AU the Injlruments of Hearing /hewn. Sed. XI. An Experiment Jheiuing that the Auditory Tube increafes the Sound. Sedt. XII. Sounds produce a Tremulous Motion in the Drum- Membrane, (hewn experimentally. Sed. XIII. Other Experiments proving the fame thing. Sed. XIV. The Tremulous Motion of the Auditory Bones. Sed. XV. The like Motion in the Membrane of the Labyrinth. Se(5t. XVI. Convitiions from fome Particulars. Se£i. XVII. The Difference between the Infiruments of Hearing in Young and Grown People. Se(5t. XVIII. T'he Infiruments of Hearing are unneceffary without Air. Con- viElions frojn thence. Se6t. XIX. The Ne>ves that are moved in Hearing. Sed". XX. The life of the faid Nervcus Cord. Se6l XXI. The Fifth Pair of Neri-es ferve to excite the PaJJions. Se6l. XXII. The Dura Mattr pndi'ces the like Emotions. Sed. XXIII. Th& Eighth Pair p oduces the fame EffeEls. Sed. XXIV. The Auditory Nerve produces the like EffeB. Sed. XXV. The Miction of the Chorda Tympani does likewife excite the Paffons Sed. XXVI. Why the Hearing, above aU other Senfes, is befi adapted to thefe Purpofes. Scd. XXVII. An Experiment to /hew the Force of Mufich Sed. XXVIII. The Force of other Sounds. CONTEMPLATION XIV. p. 150. Of the Senfes of Taflitig, Smellmg and Feeling, Sed. I. Of the Necefpty of the Tafi. Sed. II. The Seat of Tafiing is in the Mouth. Sed. III. Several Notions about the Infiruments of Tafiing. Sed. IV. The Infiruments of Tafi. Sed. V, and VI. Experiments to [hew that the Tafi is in the Palate. Sed. VII. The Infiruments of Smelling. ^ Scd. VIIL mm The CONTENT S. Sed. VIII. ConviSiiom from the foregoing Obfervations. Sea. IX. the Senfe of Feeling. Sedt. X. 7 he Injiruments of Feeling. Seft. XL ConviBions fotn the foregoing Obfervations. S^d. XII. The Fingers and Palms of the Hand have a more acute Senfe of Feel- ing than other Parts of the Body. Se(5t. XUi. ConviBions from ivhat hoi been faid above ^ concerning all the Exter- nal Senfes. CONTEMPLATION XV. ^ 1 59. Of the Union of the Soul and Body : Of the Imagination and Memory. Sfd. t. The Union of the Soul and Body unknown to us : ConviBions from hence. Sedt. If. the Bounds (if this Union. St ft. III. ConviEiibnS from the^ice. Sed. IV. The Imagination and Memory. CONTEMPLATION XVI. p. 162. of the Hmitane Papons or Inclinations, and briefly of procreation, Seft. T. The Paffions and Inclirtatiohs- Seft. II. Ihe Difference of Pafftons and Inclinations. Se6t. III. The Agreement of the Inclinations and Pajfions. Se(5t. IV. The Love of our Country. Se6t. V. The Contempt of Dangers. Seft. VI. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sea. VII. the Dejire of Procreation. Seft. VIII. IVhy we have not treated more fully and minutely upon the Bujinefs of Generation. Sed. IX. The Principles^ or Stai^ina, of Living Cnatures. Seft. X. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. Seft. XI. Several Difficulties removed. Sed. XII- ConviBions from the joregoing Obfervations. Se6t. XIII. tranfiti^ to a Demonftration againfl Chance. Se£t. XIV. A table of the Number of Males and Fmffks Chnjiend hi LK>a- don in 82 T^iirs Seft. XV. A Judgment upon the faid Table. Sea. XVI. The CONTENTS. Seft. XVI. The firft Mathematical Demonjlfation, that the World is mt ^9- I'erned by Chance. Seft. XVII. The Difficulties and OhjeBiona that fome may make againfl thefe Calculations^ an/wer'd. Seft. XVIII. A fecond, and 7nore accurate Mathematical Demonflrationt that the IJ^orld is mt govern d by Chance. Sed. XIX. The Calculation after the common Manner. Seft. XX. This Tedious Calculation contraBed. Se6t. XXI. ConviElions from the foregoing Calculations. Sed. XXII. Expreffon of the Number found in common Words. CONTEMPLATION XVII. /. i8i. Of the Air. Seft. I. Tranfition to the Contemplation of the World. Sect. II. Ftyjl of the Air. Seft. III. The Gravity arid Elaflicity of the Air. Seft. IV. An Experiment concerning the Gravity of the Air. Sect V, and V|. The Air's Elaftick Faculty, proved Experimentally. Sect. VI I. The Preffure of the Air. Se ft. V 1 1 1 . The Mi (lakes of fome Atheijls . Se(^. IX. A Defcription of the Barometers ^ and an Experiment of the Freffure^ and of the Weight of the Air thereby. Seft. X. A Barometer of Water and Lye ^ and fome Experiments , Seft. XI. Ihe dreadful Preffure of the Air upon a Man. Sed. XII. ConviSlions from the foregoing Obfervations. Seft. XIII, and XIV. Experiments fliewing the Preffure of the Air. Sect. XV. ConviSlions from the foregoing Pife/vatiom. Scd. XVI. A little Air reffis a greater Quantity. Seft. XVII. A little u4ir gravitates as flrongly as a greajt deal. Sed. XVIII. The Difference between the jGravity and Elafiicity of the Air. Sed:. XIX. Hovj the ^laflick Power of the A'f ^orks by the Gravity thereof, !S«sS;. XX- The Air that jbefirs mofi M^eight^ is mcfi compreffed. Sed. XXI. Air that is mofi Compreffed, is moft E^laflical Sedt. XXII. ConviEiions from the foregoing Obfervati^f. Sea. XXIII, and XXIV. The Elaftick Power Qf the Air is the Caufe of SuElion ; confirmed h ^^ Analogous ^xperimetft. Sed. XXV. ConviEiions from the foregoing Qb.^erfUfltiofiS' ^(3:^ .XX VI. E^ferments to fhew that Livii^ Creatures will Peyifh in a Place from which the Air if exhaufled. Sed. XXVII. Atheifls Jenyffmr ^tp^ Princfpks» Seft. XXVIII. To die in an Unelaflical Air, is no neceffary Confequence ef Notm^ c 2 Se6t. XXIX, The CONTENTS. Se6t:. XXIX. To Die therefore in an Air divefted of its Elaftacity, is the Refuh only of the Will of G D. Seft. XXX. The Elaftick Faculty of the Air is not alone fufficient for the Pre-* fewation (f Life. Se6t. XXXI. The Elaflick Fower oj the Air does likewife caufe Fifj to live and fuhfift under Water. Se6t. XXXII. Plants do alfo live by Air. Seft. XXXIII. Fire is maintained by Air. SeQ:. XXXIV. Air caufes Smoaky and the Particles thereof to afcend. Se6t. XXXV. Air is the Caufe of Sounds. Seft. XXXVI, and XXXVII. Several Experiments to prove the ProduEiion of Sounds by the Air. Seft. XXX VIII. ConviHions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sea. XXXIX. IheUfe of Air in Pumps. Sed. XL. T he Air hinders fermenting Liquors fro?n flying out of the Veffels that contain them. Se(5t. XI I. Ref-aElion and Twilight, or Break of Day. Se6t. XLII. ConviElions from the foregoing Obfervations. Seft. XLII I. The Gravity and Elafiacityof the Air unknown to the Ancients. CONTEMPLATION XVIH. ^ 207. Of Meteors. SeS:. I. Tranfition to the Meteors. Se<9:. II. The Air is a Menftruum, or Dijfolving Fluid. Seft. Ill- T'he Air is impregnated with great variety of Particles. Sea. IV. 77?^ fame proved in fulphureom Particles . Seft. V. The like Mixture with Particles of Fire. Sea. VI. Alcali's and Acids mixed with Air. Sea. VII. Burning Spirits and Oils mix themfelves with the Air. Sea. VIII. Other Particles do likewife mix themfelves with Air. Sea. IX. Many Particle preferve their Properties in the Air. Sea. X. The aforementioned variom Particles^ by their operating upon each other, caufe the Air to be Wholfome and Unwholfome* Sea. XI, and XII. Several Experiments to confirm this. Sea. XIII. ConviSiions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sea. XIV. 77?^ Invifibility and Infipidity of the Air very ufefuL Sea. XV. The Obfervations of Meteors refumed. Seft. XVI, and XVII. Mifts and Fogs produced by many Exhalations, and by the RarefaBion of the Air, Jhewn Experimentally. $ea. XVIIL Reflexions and Obfervations upon the fame. Sea. XIX. The CONTENTS. Sed. XIX. An Experiment to prove that Mifls and Fogt may he produced by Effervefcences. Seft. XX. An Experiment proving the like EffeB by Precipitation or Separation, Seft. XXI. Fogs are Clouds. Sed. XXII. H^indy and its Ujefulnefsj and ConviBions from thence. Se6:. XXlil. The Trade IVinds and Monfoons. Se6t. XXIV". ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. Seft. XXV. A Brief Defer iption of the Jaid IVinds. Sed. XXVI. Tranjition to Experiments about the pijfble Caufes of the IVinds. Sedt. XXVII. Thefirjl Experiment touching the ComraBion of the Space in whlc': the^r is contained, Sd^. XXVIII. The Second Experiment with a hollow Globe or JEolipile. Sed. XXIX. The Third Experiment j The moving of the Solid Bodies th, vugh the Air. Se(a. XXX. The Fourth Experiment ; Effervefcences. Seft. XXXI. The Fifth Experiment ^ by burning Sulphureous Bodies and Salt- Petre together. Seft. XXXII. The Sixth Experiment^ /hewing that the Elaftick Power of the Air being augmented^ produces IVinds. Sed. XXXIII. The Seventh Experiment j the Diminution or Weakning of the Air wiU produce the fame EffeB. Sea. XXXIV. Ihe Eighth Experiment ; Of producing Wind by Cold. Sed. XXXV. The Ninth Experiment ; Of Wind produced by Warmth. Sed. XXXVI. The Tenth Experiment ; Wind produced by the Stifpenfion or Cejfation of Warmth. Sed. XXXVII. The Eleventh Experiment ^ Wind produced by the Motion of the Air upwards. Sed. XXXVIII. ConviBions from what has been reprefented about the Air in general. Sed. XXXIX. ConviBions from the Meteors in particular. THE THE TENT O F T H E SECOND VOLUME, CONTEMPLATION XIX. p. 235, Of Water, T7CT/f/)0«f Water every thing rxsould dye "with Thirft. Sea. I. Seft. II. Convitlions frojn thence. Seft. IIL Without Water every living Creature ivotdd lilevoife dye of Hunger. Sed. IV. Experiments proving that Plants cvnftfl for the moft part of nothing kit Water. Sed. V. PFe do not here enquire, whether Water he a Simple or Compound Body. Seft. VI. ConviSiions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sed. VII. An Experiment to (hew that Water is changed into Earth. Sect. VIII. Other Experiments relating thereto. Sect. IX. That living Creatu es^ Plants, Minerals ^ and even Metals themfehes are produced from Water ^ fijewn Experimentally. Sect. X. 7he Afcent of the Water into the Air. Sect. XI. How fuch an Afcent happens. Sect. XII- Experiments to fjjew that Air does likewife adhere to other Matters. Sect. XIII. Experiments to (hew that Fire will cleave to [olid Bodies. Sect. XIV. Fire will likewije cleave to Water ; proved by Experiments. Sect. XV. Three Confequences from the lafi Experiment. Sect. XVI. Water and Fire feem to produce a Compofition lighter than Air. Sect. XVII. Water mujl be divided into exceeding fmall Particles, in order to be evaporated. Sect. XVIII. Vapours afcend both by Heat and Cold. Sect. XIX. The Laws of Hjdroftatics. Sect. XX. The CONTENTS. Sect. XX, and XXI. The Vapours in the Air adapt themfehes to thefe Hydro- fiatical Laws ; as appears by Jeveral Experiments. Sect, XXii. After what manner Vapours float. Sect. XX 1 1 1. Experiments to (hew how the Vapours can defiend. Sect. XXIV. Vapours defcend by the Separation of the Particles of Fire from them. Sect. XXV. Experimtnts, proving the Defcent of Vapours by the Air's becoming lighter. Sect. XXVI. Cold will produce the fame EffeB : Shewn experimentally. Sect. XXVI r. The Motion of Vapours from one Place to another^ is necejfary. Sect. XXVIII. An Experiment, Jhewing that the Watty Vapours leave their Salts behind them. Sect. XXIX. If the Earth were mathematically roundy the Rains would feldom fall where they were wanted Sect. XXX. Convifliotts upon Occaflon thereof. Sect. XXXI. Mountains ferve to coUeSi fVatry-Vapours from the Air. Sect. XXXII. Fountains and Rivers proceed jrom Mountains. Sect. XXXIII. The Furnijhing us with Springs and Rivers if a principal Ufe of Mountains. Sect. XX XIV. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sect. XXXV. Egypt moiflendby the Nile without Hater. Sect. XXXVI. The Fertility of Egypt. Sect. XXXVII. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations, Sect. XXXVIII. The Mountains col/eB IVatry Vapours, firfl by the IVinds, Sect. XXXIX. Secondly, Vapours are colIeEled by the Coldnefs of the Mountains and Superior Air. Sect. XL. Thirdly, Vapours a, e colletled by Shadows, Jljewn Experimentally. Sect. XLI. Fourthly, Other Shadows likewife give occafion to the Concourfe of Va- pours, proved Experimentally. Sect. XLII. Vapours fufficient to produce Rivers. Sect. XLIII. The Method of computing the Q^uantity of Rain-IVater falling in a certain Time, Sect. XLI V. The Rain of Paris compared with that of Lifle. Sect. XLV. Rain-M^ater alone fufficient for Rivers. Sect. XL VI. There is more Water in the Air than what defends ra Rain. Sect. XLVII. Exhalations from Canals and Ditches. Sect. XLVIII. Experiments to Jhew, that Evaporations are likewife performed by Cold. Sect. XLIX. OhjeBions anfwer*d. Sect. L. A Calculation after the Rate of an Half-Inch daily Exhalation. Sect. LI. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations, and a Ward about the Air-Salt. Sect. Lll. The Wonders of the Nile. Seer. LIIl. ConviBicns from the foregoing Obfervations. Sect. LIV, and LV. The D if po fit ion or Fitnefs of Mountains fur the aforefaid Furpofes, and Convi^ions jrom thence, I Sect. LVL Ihe CONTENTS. Sect, LVI. Rivers require a Place •wherein to djfchargQ then fVam-u Sect. LVIT. Salt preferves the Sea from Corruption, Sect. LVI II. Bays and Gulphs of the Sea for the Reception of Rivers, Sect! LIX. rhe Ufes vj the Sea. Sect. LX. The Force of the Sea in bearing Burdens j and Convictions from thence* Sect. LXI. The fame Arguments enforced. Sect. LXII. The Fijhes of the Sea. Sect. LXIII. ConviSiions from the foregoing Obfervattons. Sect. LXIV. The Circulation of the Water dees likewife preferve the Land from overflowing. Sect. LXV. ConviSiions f-om the foregoing Obfervations. Sect. LX VL 7 he Dykes or Banks of Holland. Sect. LXVII. Sand flops the Sea, and proceeds from it. Sect. LX VIII. The Sea- Weed the Support of Dfkes. Sect. LXIX. The Englifii Channel preferves Holland. Sect. LXX. The Caiife of Ebbing and Flowing omitted. Sect. LXXL Water befiowed in fuch great abundance^ and for fo 7nany Ages gratis to Living Creatures. CONTEMPLATION XX. p. 281. Of the Earth. Sect. I. Tranfttion to the Earth. Sect. II. The Earth produces Grafs, Corn^ &c. Sect. III. Beafis are Kitchens for the Grafs. Sect. IV. ConviSiions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sect. V. Different TroduSiions and Powers from the fame Earth. Sect. VI. ConviSlims from the foregoing Obfervations. Sect. VII. Earth is never confumed, nor becomes entirely barren. Sect. VIII. An Experiment to fiew that Air makes the Earth fruitful. Sect. IX. ConviSiiom from thence. Sect. X. It Jhould feem as if the Earth would be rendered Loathfome by Filth and Nafiinefs. Sect. XI. This Loathfomenefs prevented, and ConviSiions from thence. Sect. XII. The Circulation of almo/i all things from Earth to Earth ; and Con- viSiions from thence. Sect. Xin. Several Texts of Scripture proving the fame, and ConviSiions from the whole. Sect. XIV. An Experiment about Diflilled Earth. Sect. XV. The Earth produces Injiruments jit to be apply*dfor the rendering itfelf more ufeful. Sect. XVI. of Alchymifisy and an Explanation of the Texts in Exod. xxxii. 20. and Deut. ix. 21. about Gold. Sea. XVIL The CONTENTS. ^^ect. y VII. Gold may he burnt attd reduced toDufi» Secc. XVIII. About Preciom Stone i. Sect. X)X. Atheiflical ObjeBions anfiuer'd. Sect. XX. Concerning the Lvad/iotie. Sect. XXI. When the Virtue oj the Loadflone was difcover*d. Sect. XXII. 7he Roundnefs of the Earth, Sect. XXIII. The Earth is a flattijh Bowl. Sect. XXIV. The Gravity of all Earthly Bodies. Sect. XXV, and XXVI. The Centre of the Earth is a Nothing. Sect. XXVII. The Globe of the Earth keeps the fame Obliquity of its Axis, Sect. XXVIII. Without the Obliquity of the Axis of the Earth, there would be reafon to apprehend a General DefiruBiw, Sect. XXIX. ConviBions frqm thence. Sect. XXX. Ihe Earth remains above the Water ^ notwithflanding its greater Gravity. Sect. XXXI. Concerning the Torrid Zone. Sect. XXXII. The Torrid Zone inhabitable by means of Mountains. Sect. XXXIII. The Inundation of Rivers do likewife render the Torrid Zone habitable. Sect. XXXIV. ConviBions from hence. Sect. XXXV. Concerning the Temperate Zones. Sect. XXXVI. The Advantages oj the mcfl Northern Parts. Sect. XXXVII. The Chrijlian Rehgion is no Art of Politicians. Sect. XXXVIII. Atheifts differ from the Wfefi Men. Sect. XXXIX. Concerning the Frigid Zones. Sect. XL. The ImpcJJibility of approaching the Teles. CONTEMPLATION XXI. f. 308. of Fire. Sect. I. Tranjition to Fire. Sect. II. The Inconveniencies that would hefal m, if there were no fuch thing as Fire in the World. Sect. III. ConviBions from thence. Sed. IV. It is fiiU uncertain what Fire is. Sect. V. The Firfi Notion concerning Fire. Sect. VI. 7 he Second Notion : Fire feems to be a Particular Subfiame. Sect. VII. The Fir ft Reafon for the ajorefaid Opinion, Sect. VIII. The Second Reafon, and an Experiment. Sect. IX. The Third Reafony and an Experiment. Sect. X, and XI. The Fourth Reafon, and Experiments. Sect. XII The Fifth Reafon, and feveral Experiments. ^ Sect. XIII.' The CONTENTS. Se<5t. XIII and XIV. 'The Sixth Reafon, and an Experiment. ScGt. XV. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sed. XVI. 7he great Quantity of Fire in the World. Sed:. XVII. The fVifdom of Him that refirains the Power of Fire» Seft. XVIII. An Htftorical Account of Fire in the Earth. Sed. XIX. Fire in the Air, and an Experiment. Sed. XX. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. Seft. XXI. ConviBions from refiraining the Power of Fire. Se(5t. XXII. Ajter what Manner the Fire of the Air and Heavens ispreferved. Se6t. XXIII. ConviElions from thence. Sed. XXIV. All the Water in the World not fufficient to extinguijk this Fin Jhewn by feveral Experiments. Sedt. XXV. Some Experiments about the Phofphorm. Sea. XXVI. A Fluid Phofphorus. Seft. XXVII. Preparation of the Phofphorus. Seft. XXVIII. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervationsl CONTEMPLATION XXII. p. jij^. of (Beajlsy Fowls y and Fijhes. Sed. I. Tranjition to the Beafts. Seft. II and III. Concerning Tame and Wild Be ajis i and the text in GenefiSj, Ch. ix. V. 2. relating to the fame. Sei5t. IV. The StruBure of Bea/is in general, and ConviBions from thence» Seft. V. Of Procreation in general. Se6t. VI. Generation performed after various Manners* Sect. VII. Animals of both Sexes. Sed. VIII. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations^ Sec^t". IX. Toung ones produced upon the back of a PipaL Se(5l. X. 7 he Food of Animals. Sed. XI. The Motion of Animals in GeneraL Seft. XII. The StruBure of Birds. Seft. XIII. The hollow Tubes or Bones of a Bird. Se6t. XIV. The Cartilages in the Joints, and ConviBions from thence^ Sed. XV. How the Wingf are moved in Flying. Se(5t. XVI. The Wonderful StruBure of the Wings. Seft. XVII. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sed. XVIII. Other RefeBiom upon the StruBure of Birdie Scdt. XIX. The Feet of Water Fowl Sea. XX. 7 he Tails of Birds. Sea. XXI. The Center of Gravity, and Force of the Mufcks of the Wingr. Sea. XXII. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sea. XXIII. The CONTENTS. StSt. XXIIl. The Prefervation of Birds. Sed. XXIV. Iranjitim to the Fi/hes, Sed. XXV. The Miracle of Fijhes living under Water i and ConviEiiom from thence. Sea. XXVI, XXVII, and XXVIII. How Fijhes balance themfelves in and againft the fVater, iUufirated by feveral Experiments. Sed. XXIX. The EffeSis of Cold and Heat, and of a greater or leffer Column of Water prefpng upon Pijbes, Jhewn Experimentally. Se(5t. XXX. ConviShons fom the foregoing Obfervations, Sea. XXXI. Fijh Swim ivith their Tails. Sea. XXXII. The Ufe of the Fins. Sea. XXXIII. Creatures that live in the Air, fee confufedly in the Water. Sea. XXXIV. To prevent this confufed Sight, Fijhes are endowed with rounder Eyes. Sea. XXXV «K^ XXX VL The Fruitfulnefs, and Numbers of Fijhes, Sea. XXXVII. The Curfe appears from the Produtiion of Fijhes, Sea. XXXVIII. Creeping Creatures not yet thoroughly known. Sea. XXXIX. JnfeSis, Silk- Worms, Caterpillars, &c. Sea. XL. The Confideration of f mall knimails in general. Sea. XLI. The Eyes of a Beetle, and ConviEiions from thence. Sea. XLII. Something concerning the Beginning of AEiion in Beafis, CONTEMPLATION XXIII. p. i6o. Of Tlants. Sea. I. Trnnjttion to Plants in general. Sea. II. Without Earth and Water no Plants wiS fpring from their Seeds. Sea. III. Every Seed has its Seed-Plant. Sea. IV. The Seed- Root and Pluma in a Beau. Sea. V. Each Plant has two Roots. Sea. VI. The Cavity in the Bean for the Pluma. Sea. VII. The Hole in the Skin of the Root-Sprout. Sea. VIII. The Nutricious Juice or Sap changes its Way in the Seed. Sea. IX. The Seed-Lzaves, and their Ufe. Sea. X. ConviEiions from the foregoing Obfervations, Sea. XI. Confiderations on the Texts in John xij. 24. i Cor. xv. 35. — vij. S.'and Gen ij. 4, $, 6. with Obfervations on the lafi of 'em. Sea. XII. Concerning the Expanjion of the Seed-Plant, with an Experiment of Mr. Dodart thereupon. Sea. XIII. Whether the Seed-Plants contain all the following ones* Sea. XIV. Tranjition to the Roots and Trunks of Plants, Sea. XV. The StruElure of the Root and its Parts, d 2 Sea XVI; The CONTENT S. Seft. XVI. Ihefe Difpcjitions reprefented in the VepperRoot. Seft. X VIL The Strnilme of the Trunk in an Ajh-Tree. Seft. XV III. The Trunk's groii) upwards^ and the Roots downwards, Sed. XIX, and XX. TMee Experiments made upon Beans, Acorns^ an^ other Trees, Se£t. XXI. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. Seft XXII. The Knots and Buds of i'lants, and ConviSiions from thence* Seft. XXIII. The StruSiure of the Leaves, and their Vfefulnefs. Sed. XXIV, XXV, and XXVI. Several Experiments to Jhew the Perfpirc^ tion ef Leaves, Se6t. XXVII, and XXVIII. The StruSiure of Flowers, with their Supporters^. and without. Se<9:. XXIX. Some Particulars about Flowers, Se6t. XXX. The little Threads, &c. and ConviSiions from thence. Sed. XXXI. The Curfe of the Earth. Sed. XXXII, XXXIII. Plants do not yield fi much as they are able, and a Proof thereof /bewn in Trees. Seft. XXXIV. ConviSiions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sea. XXXV. Of Sea-Plants. Seft. XXXVI. ConviSiions from all that has been f aid above. CONTEMPLATION XXIV. p. 388. Of the Viftble Heavens. Seft. I. Tranfitionto the IVorld in General ^ and to the Heavenly Bodies in Pap- ticular. Seft. II. ConviSiions from the Sight thereof* Sed. III. T'he Sun proved to be bigger than the Earth, by the Eclipfes. Se(5t. IV. The Magnitude of the SuKy proved from Aftronomy. ScSt. V. It may be Jhewn, with fufficient Certainty ^ that the Sun is above 100,000: Times bigger than the Earth. Sed. VI. ConviSiionf font the foregoing Obfervations.. Seft. VII. The Suns Dijiance from the Earth. Sed. VIII. ConvtSliom from the foregoing Obfervations. Sed. IX. The Earthy for Conveniency fake, fuppofed to fland fliH. Sed. X. The Suns Diurnal Motion. Se6l. XI. The Sun's Annual Mot ion y Declenjion^ and the Seafons tf the Teay. Se£t. XII. The great Lfe of the abovefaid Motions. Sed. XIII. ConviSiions from the foregoing Obfervations. Scd. XIV, and XV. The Morning and Evening Twilight. Se£t. XVL The IVeahnefs of our Conceptians. Sea. XVII 4 The C O N TENT S. Sect. XVII. Hovi much Time is required for a Cannon Bullet to fafi from the Earth to the Sun. Secc. XVIII. How much Time is required for a Shipy or any living Creature that can run Fifty Miles in a Day and a Nighty to pafs from the Earth to the Sun, and ConviSiions from theme. Secc. XIX. The Siuiftnefs of Light. '-■ . . ■ Secc. XX. An Experiment to prove that Li^ht really moves and c^mes frotfi the Sun. :\ s:^^u j/ Sect. XLI- The Hydroftatical Laxv of Lateral Preffures. Sect. XLII and XLIII. Two Experiments about Lateral Preffures. Sect. X LI V. The Lateral Preffure adapts itf elf to the Height, and not to the Breadth of IVater. Sect. XLV. The Lateral Preffure of M'ater, with Air prefpng upon the fame. Sect. XL VI. ■ The C O N T E N T S. Sc6t. XL VI. The Argumentation and Diminution of the rejifiing Force of Fluids produces Mot ion y and the Force thereof. Sed. XLVII. Fluids are moved by^ or rather ajter taking away a Rejijiance, and the Force thereof. Sed. XL VIII. 7 ranjiti on to HydrSiulicSy or feme few Hydro/iatical Examples. Sed. XLIX. Calculation of the Force of a Syphon. Sed. L, LL Of a Fountain that Spouts or Springs higher than the IVater that fiipplies it. ■Sed. LII. Of a Fountain of Hero, the Stream whereof is longer than the Foun- tain high. Sed. Llll. The Motion of IVater in a Curve Tube. Sed. LI V, LV, LVI. An Hydroflatical Paradox Jhewn by two Experiments. Sed. LVII, and LVIII. Another Hydroftatical Paradox confirm d alfo /•/ an Experiment. Sed. LIX. ConviSiions from the furpriftng Fora of Water. Sed. LX. ConviEiions upon another Foundation. Sed. LXI. IVtthout the Laws of Pluidsj all Things would foon be in the utmofl Confufion. Sed. LXII. ConviEiions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sed. LXIII. Even Lead itfelf will float upon the IVater^ by the Preffure thereof upwards. Sed. LXI V. ConviEiions from hence. Sed. LX V. Lateral Preffure^ and the Benefit thereof* Sed. LXVI. ConviEiions from the fame. CONTEMPLATION XXVII. p. 533. Of Jome Chymkal Laws of Nature. Sed. I. Tranfition to other Laws. Sed. II. Experiments /hewing the Operation of Acids and A\ca\ies. Sed. III. The aforefaid Salts are changed and united by Effervefcmces. Sed. IV. Experiments /hewing that Acids and Alcalies precipitate, or are fe* parated from each other. Sed. V. Acid Salts difperfed in many Bodies, Sed. VI. Alcaline Salts likewife difperfed in many Bodies* Sed. VII. ConviEiions from the foregoing Obfervations. Sed. VIII. The Prefer vation of Things proves a God. Sed. IX. All Ktnds of Philofophy do^ or mufl acknowledge Laws. Sed. X. The Opinions of fome Philofophers about Fertility. Sed. XI. The Air feems to abound with Salt-Petre : Seven Experiments /hewing the Probability thereof. c Sect. Xir. The CONTENTS. Seft. XII. Salt-Petre feems to come out of the North ; proved by three Expe- riments, Seft. XIII. Salt-Petre becomes aBive by thofe Particles in it that are Sulphureous, JJjewn by Experiments. Seft. XIV. Salt-Petre in ConjunSiion ivith the Rays of the Sun, does likeijife render the Earth fruitful, Jhewn by an Experiment. Sfd. XV. ConviBions Jrom the foregoing Obfervations. CONTEMPLATION XXVIII. ^ 549. Of the ^ojjlhillty of the ^furreEimu Se6t. I. 'the ObjeBion of the Sadduces anfwer*d by our Saviour, Mat. xxij. v. 29. Sed. II- It is not a greater Miracle to Raife a Body, than to Create it, Sed. III. Even the common Formation of Bodies is kfs credible than the Re- fur reBion. Sed. IV. 7he Firfl ObjeBion anfwerd, namely^ 7hat vje have no Parents in the RefurreBion, Seft. V. The Second ObjeBion, from the SmaUnefs of the Parts after Corruption, anfiver'd. Sed. VI. I'he Third ObjeBion, from the Attrition of the Particles, anfwer'd. Seft. VII. The Fourth ObjeBion, from the Union of thefe Particles -with other Bodies, anfvierd. Sed. VIII. T'he Fifth ObjeBion, That in the Particles of Bodies tue cannot obferve any fuch Union, anfwered. Sc6t. IX. The Sixth ObjeBion, That thefe Particles are fcatterd too far from each other, anfive/d. Seft. X. The Seventh ObjeBion, That the Particles of Matter vsould aB with Choice or Knowledge, anfwe/d. St£t. XI. The Eighth ObjeBion, Concerning Canibals or Men-eaters, anfwer'd, Se6t. XII. ConviBion and Pojftbility of a RefurreBion. Se6t. XIIT. Tranfaion to another kind of Threefold ObjeBions. Sed. XIV. Three ObjeBions of the fir ft Kind. Seft. XV. ObjeBions of the fecond Kind. Se6t. XVI. ObjeBions of the third Sort from the Holy Scriptures. Seft- XVII. Our Defign here is not to defcribe the Manner of the RefurreBion, which we muft leave to God. Se6k. XVIII. A General Anfwer to all the ObjeBions againfl a RefurreBion, ta- ken out of Scripture. Se6k. XIX. A hare Hypothefis is fu'fficient to /hew the Pojfibility oj any Thing. Sed. XX. There is a Proper or Own, and a Vifible Body. Sefl. The CONTENTS. Seft. XXI. Ihis DiflinEiion is acknowledged by all. Seft. XXII. The vifible Body conftfls of Fluid and of Solid Paw] and of Laws. Sed. XXIII. The own Body confiflsy in a manner of no Fluid Parts y nor of LawSf but almofl only of folid Parts. Seft. XXIV. The own Bod/ confifis either of a Stamen or Principle unfol- ded only ; or elfe of a Stamen, that grows and increafes by the Addition of Foreign Particles. Seft. XXV. How a Man may be faid to rife again with his own proper Bodyy in the firfl Cafe. Sed. XXVI. The own Body, tho filled with other Matter s^ remains the own proper Body of the fame Perfon. Seft. XX VII. l^'hen any one dies, a great deal of that Matter uihich belonged to the viiible Body, will be feparated therefrom. Sea. XXVIII. The three ObjeElions of Sed. XIV. anfwer'd, in cafe the own Body conjijis of a bare Stamen. Seft. XXIX. The Objetlion in Sed. XV. anfwer'd upon the fame Founda- tion. Sed. XXX. ^ The vifible Body of a Man may be very much emaciated^ and yet remain his vifible and own Body. Sed. XXXI. The own Body, tho* allowed to be a Stamen, with an Accreti- on of foreign Matter ^ confifis of nothng elfe but of folid Particles, and chiefly of Bones. Sed. XXXII. The Three ObjeBions mentioned in Sed. XIV. fohed, upon the Suppofition, that the own Body does confifi of a Stamen increafed to a certain Bignefs. Sed. XXXIII. The ObjeBions of Sed. XV. anfwer'd from the faid Trin- ciples. Sed. XXXIV. ConviBions from all the foregoing ObjeBions, CONTEMPLATION XXIX. p. 571. Of the Unknown Tinngs. Sed. I. Tranfition to Unknown Things. Sed. II. That there are many Things fiill unknown. Sed. III. Atheifiical ObjeBions anfwered. Sed. IV. Unknown Things, tho' in themfehes not conceivable, do yet prove the Greatnefs of God. Sed. V. It is unknown, whether the Earth or the Sun moves. Sed. VI. Such Ignorance proceeds. Fir ft, from the Difagreement of great A- fironomers, Sed. VII. The C O N T E N T S. Se6l. VII. Secondly, Becaufe great Aftronomers do themfehes own that they are uncertain about this Matter, Seft. VIII. Thirdly, Becaufe the Parallax from the Annual Motion is fldl uncertain. Stdi. IX. Nothing can be inferred from the Exprefjlons ufed by great Aftronomers, about the Earth's Motion. Sea. X and XL 7he Simplicity of an Hypothefis is not always an Argument of its Truth. Seft. XII. A Conclujion from the Whole, that neftlm the Suns nor the Earth*s Motion hen ever been rightly proved. THE THE ors T O T H E R E A HE Deftgn of Writing thefe Contemplations, is to convince Athiells of the Wifdom, Pouer and Goodnefs of God, the Maker and Ruler of all Things ; and Infidels (who indeed acknowledge a Gody but rejeB the Authority of the Holy Wri- tings) that the Scriptures are of a more than Humane Origi- nal ; and fo to reprefent to both of 'em the right Ufe of the Contemplation of the World. T'he Methods we have 7)iade ufe of to prove the fame, are only taken from the modern Obfervations,^/;;^ probable Dif- coveries in Natural Philofophy, without laying down any bare Bypothefes, fince in the Things of natural Knoiuledj^e, we have no farther Foundation for Arguments than we can produce Experiments : Upon which, you may confuh the Wntmgs and Plans of the Royal Academies and Societies, and of the mofi fa?nous Mathematicians among them. T'he Reafon why 1 have not made ufe of the Metaphyficks, &c. will appear in the Preface, SeEl 27. While I was writing this, the Arch-Bifliop of Cambray'f Book fell into my Hands ; and while I was compofing the Preface, I met likeivife with Mr. Kay's Book, tranflated into French ; and zvas moreover inforjnd {tho I dont under/land the Lan- guage) that A/r.Derham had publified amt^ier Book in Englifii, wherein he largely " proves ij The Au THORNS Episiile. proves the Being of a God upon the fame Foundation. It was very agreeable to mCy to fee and ohferve, that this Way of Proof which I have always efleemed the fitongeft, was likewife embraced by fuch Great Men ; in which, ajter all that is writ upon it, ' there flill remains abundance oj Matter, to convince the unfortunate Philofofhers of the PerfeBicns oj their great Creator ; and there will fill remain enough to latefl Po- fierity. The Manner of proving the Divinity of the Holy Scripture from Natural Phenomena or Appearances, v:hich we here fet before you, has not, that I know, been ever done before m fuch a Method. 1 hope, however, that the fame may be of Ufe both to the Atheift and Infidel, becaufe both thofe are wont chiefly to exercife the?nfelves in the Study and Knowledge of Nature. The general Method of convincing both oj 'em^ is more largely reprefented in the fol- lowing Preface, Seft. 29, -^o and 31. I write in the Low-Dutch Tongue, to the End that 1 may be more ufeful to my own Country Men ; and efpecially, becaufe that Tongue has been often abufed in Pub- iijlymg and Difperfing Atheiftical Books. The Order we follow, can in feme Manner be learned from the Heads or Contents of this IVork ; tho' 1 have not confined my f elf very JiriEily to that which has beenpur- fued by many others upon the fame SubjeEi. Thofe ivho will read this Work as an Experimental Account of the Know- ledge of Nature, ?nujl not be offended at what we call the Convidions, which they frequently meet with, becauje our Defign was not to write a Bcdy ofPhyficks only^ but to bring the Erroneous into the right Way ; and by turning their Thoughts, after this Manner J to the Knowledge of Nature y to had them on to the true Notions of the Deity. The able Mathematicians 7nay perhaps think, that I ought to have propofed the Ex- perimental Demon/lraticns, for In/lance, of the Power of the Mufcles, and of the Hydroftatical Laws in Fluids, &c. in a more Mathematical Manner, or elfe barely to have related them zvithout any jarther Proofs, andfo to have made the fame Conclufionsy without fo much Trouble, and fo many Figures ; but they mujl be pleafed tc know, that 1 havejdeduced thofe Demon/lrations as far as it was poffble for me, by Experiments only, and not as ihe Mathematicians are iifedto do from Eftablifii'd Laws 0/ Nature, to the End that 1 might be the better under flood by fuch as know little or nothing (f the Marhematicks. I was indeed at firfi of a different Opinion, and had already prepared the whole Work without any Figures, and without Proofs^ the Grounds of which were neverthelefs very obvious to Mathematicians. But for' afmuch as a certain Learned Gentleman, and after him feveral others objeBed, that if I did proceed in fuch a Method, many would think, that what I [fiould advance in fome Cafes, was more incredible than true ; and that in fuch great Matters one ought to bring at leaft as much Proof as would be neceffary to confirm the Truth of one's Po- fit ions ; / have therefore ihofen to go on in that Way : 7 his has likwife been the Rea- fm why this Work, which 1 was forced to enlarge and alter in every Part almcfl, has feen the Light feveral Tears later than it ought to have done, efpecially fince my uther Affairs have continually obflruEled the fame. They who upon good Grounds do acknowledge a God, and Divine Origin of the Holy Scriptures, will here find fuficient Prooj's of their Confejjion , and thofe who are weaker y The Au THORNS Epistle. iij iveaker, may like-wife , I hopSy be confirmed in thofe Truths againfi any Tempta- tions. But before I conclude this Addrefs to my Reader ^ I mufi entreat f/jo/e? unhappy Philofophurs, thife wavering and doubtful Peifons. thofe Infidel .s. and muth to be lamented Strong Minds, for "xhijm this Work is chiefly calculated, that they ■would come prepared to confider the fame, not fo much -with an acute, as with a feri- oits ^udgjrem, and decent RefpeBJor fo momentous an Enquiry; and not fo imuh to cbfeyve 'what Difjuulties may occur in fome Paticulars, as "whether there is not Jome- thing in fnch a Number of Jhingi as may ferve^g convince them of the PerfeElion, as many are ufed to do when they meet with them in any Books, fince the Divinity thereoj is not herefuppofed, but proved ; and that fome of them ferve to fhexv the Wfdcm and deep Knowledge in Nature oj him that in- fpirednhem ; and others, to convince you that no Man, tho^ never fo uvderflanding, nor any Impnflor, tho' ever fo cunning, either for Political Reafons, or otherwife, was capable to produce in thofe Times fuch things as we fined written therein -, from whence you may eafily conclude who has been the Author of them. Let not the Atheifts and Unbelievers conceive a Prejudice againfi this Work, Jince they may learn not only from the Title, but from thofe fincere Affurances we hereby give them, that we did not write it out of the leafi Hate or Contempt oj them, but from a hearty Sorrow for their miferable Condition, and only in order to th^ir Conver- B 2 fion; iv The Authors Epistle. fion 'y for ivhich Reafon, 1 have commonly made them themfehes the Judges of the ntofl part of my Condujiom ; / therefore only intreat them^ that they would pafs their Judgment upon what is here fubmitted to it, without that deplorable Refolution taken lip by many of thofe who call themfehes Scrong-Minds, or Free-Thinkers, not to acknovcledge the Being of a God. One of thefe Pofitiom mujl be irrefragably true (it being impoffible to lay do'vn a Third) either that, according to their Opinion^ all Thihgs in the IVorld are govern d by Chance, and by Necellary Laws, without the Interijention of an Intelligent Beings and that the Chridian Bible is compofed by Cheats and Impoftors, who had no o- ther View but their own Advantage \ or elfe, that the Holy Scriptures are given by a God that Governs the World, and who will require an Account fom thofe Crea- tures ivhom he has endued with Reafon, how they have ufed the fame. Lee them therefore confider how n:iuch it imports them not to be miftaken in thofe things, whereon their eternal Welfare or Mifery depends ; and let them judge whether it be not at leaft as true, that they and the World are made by a wife God, as that a Clock, or any other ingenious Piece of Workmanfhip, does prove the Skill of the Maker. Upon all which, ij they ferioujly contemplate, they will tremble at their own Notions ; and fi nee it is a Matter of Fat'i, and not a meer Speculation that is in quefiiony and ought to be examined, zvhether it be not ne- ceffary to enquire into the Things themfehes, tuithout relying upon naked and atheifti- cal Notions ; \is for this End thefe Contemplations are uritten. May the Almgh- tv Goo, who alone can over-rule our Minds tUid Thoughts, enforce thefe and other Proofs, in which the whole IVorld abounds ! T H E -^ THE O R T O T H E Following Contemplations of the o n I. D, StcTioN I. T'he true Difference ieti^een Atheijls, and tbofe that fear GOD-. T is hardly credible, that there were ever any Men, who had not quite loft their Underftanding, fo fooliili and unreafonable as to deny an Eternal and Selj exiftent Beingy and to maintain chat there has been a perfed State oF Inanity or Nothingnefs, in which there were neither Creator nor Creatures; for even the moft Famous among the Ancients, and Spinoz^a himfelF among the Moderns, tho' they may JLiftly be rank'd with the Aihaftsy have yet acknow- ledged an Eternal Being. The great Dih-'erence therefore between Athefts^ and thofe who confefs and fear a God, is not whether there be fuch a Being, which from all Eternity has fubfifted by himfelf (for that is owned by them all, at leaft by all that I have ever heard of) but whether this Eternal Being is alfo IViJe, Pctveyful, and Merciful; and whether he has made all things according to his own Plea- fnre, for certain Ends and Purpcfcs, and does continually direft and govern the r.ime. It vj j-i.^e T R E F A C R It IS true indeed, that thofe miferable Wretches find themfelves obliged, in forae Manner, xo conftfs his Po^xeYi were it only from their daily obfer- ving, with tlieir own Eyes, what great Bodies are moved in the Heavens with an iinfpeakable Swiftnefs j and perhaps alfo, they might own his Good- nefs and Mercy^ if we allow them to explain it in their own Senfe, and to afcribe the Goodnefs of this Being only to the happy Qiialities of Things, making life therein of their own Underftanding, by which they think they are able to convert moft Things that occur to them in the World to their own Advantage, and to render them fubfervient to their own Neceffities and Plea- fures: But with great Difficulty will they allow, upon their Principles, that this Eternal Being is IV/fe, and orders all Things according to his own good Pleafure j becaufe fuch a Conceflion would be entirely inconfiftent and contradictory, as well to a 7neer Chance^ as to all the unknown Laws of Nature or Nectfjity : This is alfo the only Foundation of their continual Uneafinefs and Terror i fince if this Being is IVife^ and knows that they endeavour blafphe- moufly to rob him of his Attributes and Perfedions, they may eafily conclude what will be their Reward hereafter. That this was likewife the old Queflion in former Ages, may be inferred from the Writings oi Cicero about it i where the Difputations of the Philofo- phers, by him introduced, do not fo much turn upon the Exiflence of a God (meaning thereby fuch an Eternal Being) as concerning the Nature of the Gods, It may therefore feem flrange, perhaps, to thofe who from their Yo ith up- wards have been fo happy as always to acknowledge and reverence God for their Almighty Lord, Maker, and Supporter, out of a Convidion of is ado- rable Perfections, to hear that there can be found a Set of Men, who owning an Eternal Being, or the Exiflence of a God, do neverthelefs confider him as deprived or divefted of the above-mention *d Attributes: And yet that both the former and latter Times have fwarmed with fuch deplorable Genius's, is too well known to fill this Book with the Relations of them. We fiiali therefore fatisfy our felves with acquainting the Reader, that the following Contemplations are exprefly calculated to bring thefe unfortunate Men, if it be poflible, to better Thoughts. .Sect. II. In order to bring Atheijls to Reafon, it is neceffary to enquire into the Caufes and P^emedies of Atheifm. That we may therefore take the true Methods to arrive at this great End, it feems neceffary in the firfl Place, ferioufly to enquire what arc the real Caufes that many fall into fuch deplorable and irregular Opinions con- cerning this Tremendous and Eternal Being; and when we have come at the Knowledge thereof^ to find proper Remedies to prevent the fame. But the Reader is defired to take Notice, that we do not intend to treat of this Matter in its utmofl Extent: we fhall fatisfy our felves only to collefi: fuch of the Caufes of Modern Atheifm, which we have experimentally obfer- ved to prevail over the Minds of thefe ungodly Difputers, and from thence fuggefl fuch Means, as the fame Experience has taught us to apply with good Succefs againfl this lamented Evil. z Sect. The P R E F J C K vij Sect. III. T/je Fir/i Caufe is Inordinate Self-Love. The firft Caufe therefore, and which moflly prevails in the Nature of Men, is ufually the Paffion oj a too extenjiie and inordinate Self-Love. From hence only it is, that Men dc(ire to gratify their Inclinations, and to be m Subjeftion to no body ; and if they cannot be exempted altogether from the latter, they wouM have it be no oiher kind of Subjeftion than what is agreeable to their Carnal Appetites. Wherefore, hearing that there is a God, and that he is Juft and Holy, and will be obey'd by them in all things, and will certainly punifii thofe his Creatures that refnfe to acknowledge his Power,, they earneftly wifli to be entirely freed from it. This induces them to turn a deaf Ear towards all the Convidions of fuch a Being; and forafmuch as their Confciences, m fpight ofall their Endeavours, will not fuffer them to be eafy, they are continually feeking out for Argu- ments, whereby they may perfwade themfelves of the contrary; and fo ftifle the dreadfiil Remorfes of fuch their refifling Confciences. For thefe Reafons did the blind Heathens afcribe to their Gods, Pajjions and Inclinations like thofe which they felt in themfelves ,• pretending, that thofe Gods delighted in Dnmkennefs, Fomicationy Adultery, and other irregular Affedions, To look for no farther Proof of what has been advanced, let ev^ery Man who has been fo unhappy as to hunt for Arguments to darken and blot out of his Mind the Knowledge of the Perfections of his Creator, retire into him- felf, and examine, whether if that, which is received by Chriftians for the Word of God, and in which his Will is contained, fhould allow him to aban- don himfelf to all his Inclinations in this Life, and fliould promife him the Enjoyment of the like Pleafures through all Eternity, he would not endeavour with as much Zeal and Diligence to find out Reafons whereby to convince himfelf, and every Man befides, that there is a God, and that the Bible is his revealed Word, as he now Attempts to make himfelf, and others believe, that the fame is falie. There is, however, an innate Delire in every Man to be- come happy : Does he exped to find this in the Knowledge of a God? then will he extend his Defires that way : But perceiving, that by the Acknow- ledgment of a Supreme Holy Being, he would confequently be obliged to re- nounce his Sinful Pleafures, he will wifh that there was no fuch thing as fuch a God ; tho' he dares not own the fame, lead he fhould be found out by o- thers for what he really is, a miferable Atheift. I appeal for the Truth of what I have here faid, to thofe Men who have ever lived in thefe fad Doubts and Uncertainties, and in the mean time fol- lowed their Paffions as far as they could, without incurring the Punifhment of the Temporal Magiftrate, and without Prejudice of their good Name or Eftate, but have at laft attained to a better Mind. It is not neceffary to pro- duce Examples of thofe, who after their Converfion have openly avow'd the- lamc, tho' I could eafily do it. Sect. vnj The 9 R EF AC R Sect. IV. Ihe Means to prevent this inordinate Self-Loz'c. Now fince this whole Miftake is nothing elfe but a Paffion that hurries them away without the lead Foundation or Shadow of Reafon, many of this kind of Atbeifls are reduced to the right Way, when God (who in all thefe Cafes muft be acknowledged to be the firft Caufe) Ihall pleafe to fandify the Means that are ufed thereto; which, befides the increafe of Years, that of- ten calms the impetuous Pafllons of Youth, do likewife fometimes confift herein, to wit, that they be brought to a right and ferious Confideratioii of the Wifdom^ Powers and Gooduefs of God, which undeniably manifefl them- felves in the Contemplation of the IVorldy and the Government of all Things in a multifarious Manner, to fuch as are not refolved to remain wilfully blind; efpecially, if the corrupt State of themfelves, and of all Mankind, and the Vanity of thofe Things upon which they beftow the Name of Plea- fure, be fee before them in a proper Light ; and efpecially that unhappy Con- dition ill which all Men would find themfelves, if, according to- their own Opinion, the World were governed cither by meer Chance, or by the Laws of blind Fatolity. Finally, how dreadful would it be for them in c&k their deplorable Notions (for 1 cannot bellow a better Term upon them, (ince no body can prove them) fhould be entirely falfe. By which Confiderations a lower Value for prefent, and a greater Concern for future Things, would be produced in their Minds; which being oppofed to their former Paffions, might contribute to extinguifli the fame, and awaken in them fuch ferious Thoughts, as fometimes are alone fufficient to make them change their Opi- nions. Sect. V. 'The Second Catife is Inordinate Ambition. The fecond Caufe of Atheifm is another Paffion, confifting in an irregular Ambition, luhick anfes J>om the fame Source of Self-love, by which fome, having once abandoned themfelves to the Defence oj fuch unfortunate Sentiments, jancy that they ought therefore to pafs zvith other Men for Perfons ivifer, and of greater Under/land- ings ; and fo they beftow upon each other the Appellation o'[ Efprits Forts, that is to fay, Strong-Mmds, or Free-T^hinkers ; being, as it were, defirous to Ihew thereby, that they are (uch flout and couragious Men, as are not to be terrified with vain Fears or Bugbears (as they term it) like the Vulgar and Childifh People. This is one of the highefl Steps to which Atheifm can attain, and indeed it cannot well climb higher; becaufe, when it is once arrived ro that pafs, it does not only llight ail Conviftions, but fo long as this Paffion and inor- dinate Ambition continues, compels Men neceilarily to reject them, and con- fequently to remain altogether incurable. For whereas the hrft fort of A- thef?n, which is only founded upon the Enjoyment of Pleafuies, may be fi- lentiy oppofed and conquered as fcon as any contrary Argument begin to make an imprenion, this lad has moreover this Obfiacle and Hindrance in the removing it, that thofe who have once maintained it, altho' they fhould change their^Mind, are afraid of lofing their imaginary Eileem, and the Ho- nour The "PREFACE. ix nourofa fuperior Wifdom and Knowledge, and of being henceforward^, accounted by thofe that know them, not only Cowardly and Unconftant, but likewife Men of miftaken Judgments : It being commonly the way of thefe conceited Strong-Minds, or Free-Thinkers, to fpeak contemptuouflv of all that fee their own Errors, and have Virtue enough to foifake them. Now how powerful the Fear of Contempt is over feme Men who have a great Conceit of themfelves, we are taught by daily Experience in many Cafes -, in- fomuch, that this unhappy fort of Creatures have been otten obferved to break forth into dreadful Blafphemies, only to give a Proof of their greater Know- ledge and Penetration, and to avoid the Sufpicion of fpeaking againll their Confciences, and of diflembling their juft Fears. Sect. VI. T^he Remedy again fl this Evil. I Have feldom feen any Humane Means made ufe of with Effed againft thofe who will not be convinced ; fince this kind of Atheifm is attended, for the moff part, with great Ignorance; and that thofe miferable Wretches who are tainted with it, can be feldom brought to liften carefully to the Argu- ments objefted againft them ; bemg accuilomed to anfwer the beft and flrongeft Proofs with Contempt and a fcornful Smile, not judging them wor- thy of a better Return from their luperior Underftandings. Yea, whatever may be the Occalion of fuch an exctffi^ e hardnefs and fiiffnefs ot Heart, it is vifible that they he under a dreaaful Judgment of that God whom they have fo unrighceoudy blafphem>.d, ai d fo far as one may guefs from Circum- ftances, do ofren continue fo lo the End, unlefs the fame merciful God be pleafcd to t ke Pity on them, and make them unconceivable Miracles of his Grace. Among fuch, I knew one, who having been advifed by a Friend (for he was deaf to all other kind of Proofs) ferioufly to confider himfelf, his Soul, and Body, and all that happened in the World round about him, began to perceive, that it was hardly to be believed, that he himfelf, and all befides him, could be made and governed by any thing but a Being endowed with great Wifdom: So that a little while before he died, he heartily thanked his Friend for the Counfel he had given him, and detefling his former wicked Thoughts with a Flood of Tears, he continued to his Death to beg For- givenefs of that Goo, whom all his Life-time he had refufed to acknow- ledge, praifing, with his laft Breath, the unexpreflible great Mercy of his Divine Majefty, who had vouchfafed to look upon fuch an abominable Crea- ture, that had deferved nothing but his Wrath and Vengeance, with the Eyes of Mercy. I have known others of this kind, fome of whom have in a hardened Manner drowned themfelves ,• others, that have taken Poifon, and the refl ended their Lives in the utmoft Difpair upon their Sick-Beds. Sect. VII. Concerning the Death o/Spinofa. Upon this Occafion of mentioning the miferable Deaths of feveral Atheifts, I cannot forbear to take Notice of what has been related, and with great Truth, as far as I could difcover, touching that of 5)5/«o/i; that he C ended X The T R E F J C E. ended his Life in Solitude and great Tranquility, without manirefling any external Signs of Uneafinefs. This, I know, feem'd ftrange to Tome Weak, but PiOus, Men, who hud either feen or heard of very different and moit dreadtul Judgments of God againft feme that had thus denied him ; and, fe- €ondly, that the Followers of this fame Spimfa, took an occafion from thence to think, that the Opinions of their Mafter were not fo unjuftifiable. But for the Satisfadion of the former, they ought to be told, that God, working with Freedom, does not always punifli Sins fo vifibly in this Life'; and as for the latter, if they have been converfant in the Writings of that Athejfi, they may obferve from thence, that Spimfa is not fo much to be looked upon for a learned Difputant, as for fuch a fort of an Atheifi, who ■with or without Convidion, was fefolved (imply to adhere to his wicked Opinions j becaufe, 'as he thought, they would make him pafs his Life more agreeably. I would not have it thought, that I fay this of him out of Prejudice, but refer to his own Words, in his 34t:h Letter to the Heer van Blyenbergh ; % where he fays, firft, that he does not underftand the Holy Scriptures, and entirely acquiefces in the Suggellions of his own Underflanding; and then {inftead of proving the Certainty thereof, which would have become a true Philofopher to have done upon fuch an occafion) he proceeds thus, in a very unworthy Manner, to fpeak to feme Body that is feeking after Truth: And altho' what 1 have already advanced concerning the Natural Undeyflanding^ Jhould appear to be falfe ; yet I am happy ^ whilji I enjoy my Opinion ^ and pafs my Life eaftly^ merrily^ and p leaf ant ly, without Tears and Sighs, dec. Now let wife Men judge, whether thefe Words fhew a Philofopher feeking afcer Truth, or an obftinate Atheifly that will not be convinced, lead it fliould fpoil his Mirth: It cannot therefore be denied, that God may fuffer a ftubborn Blafphemer to fall away fo far, that by perfifting a long time in h's Errors he becomes at lafl entirely blind, and fo remains, till the impending Wrath of God ftiall open his Eyes. It is, moreover, very certain, that to the end he might not be didurbed (I mean Spimfa) he wou^d not admit of any Difcourfe, whilft he lay upon his Sick and Death-bed, with any Body about the State of Men after this Life, and the Certainty or Uncertainty of his own Opinions; which alfo does not look like the real Convidtions of a true Philofopher: For tho' his Judgment might be fo weakened by the Violence of his Sicknefs, that he could not well weigh nor anfwer the Reafons and Objeftions that might be brought againft him to his own Satisfaftion ; it was neverthelefs true, upon his Principles, that he would not therefore be the more unhappy afrer his Death ; buf only that he could not have flatter'd and delighted himfelf with the Honour of paffing for a greater Free-7hinker than other Men. Laflly, I may here add, that one of his moft particular Friends and Dif- ciples (well known to me in my Youth) who always adher'd to his Opini- ons, and maintain'd them, when he durft, with great Acutenefs, being a Man of very good Parts, lying upon his Sick-bed, and remaining there m a long Silence and Indolence, in Imitation of his Mafler, did at lafl burfl ouc in The 'PREFACE. xj in thefe dreadful Expreffions, That he noiu believed all that he had formerly de- niedy but that it ivas too late for him to hope for Mercy. This was related to me, concerning the dreadful End of this Man, with all its Circumftances, by a certain learned Gentleman, wiio knew that I having been acquainted a great many Years with the Opinions of that unfortunate Creature, and hearing of his Death, fhould be defirous to be informed of thje Circumftances thereof. Now whether the Followers oi Spincfay after having well confider'd all that has been faid concerning the laft End of their Mailer, have any Grounds for their Indolence and Indifterency, I leave it to themielves to confider; provi- ded they will do it without PafTion and Partiality. Sect. VIII. 7 he third Caufe is Ignorance. A Third Caufe of thefe deplorable Opinions feems to be, in fome . Men, a dowm-ight Ignorance. Accordingly I have met with fomej who bfvirig never exercifed their Underftandings in examining Matters, have btindly followed their Inclinations in all things, fo far as their Opportunities, wnich were few enough, would give them leave; and who being asked, what they thought of the World, and of its Beginning? openly denied that a God had made it. I knew one o'^this fort, who, after having abandoned himfelf to Drunk- ennefs for many Years, and palled his ignorant and brutilh Life in thefe de- ftrudive Notions, died in the fame, at leaft it appeared fo to them that at- tended him during his lafl Illnefs, and that related it to me. I met alfo with another, that might jullly be ranked among the Number of thefe ignorant Perfons, who tho' he was outwardly a regular and fober Perfon, yet when he was in the Company of thofe that were not very averfe to his Opinions, did not fcruple to fpeak out plainly, and to affirm, that e- very thing "joas from Nature (this was his Expreflionjyo as it is : And when he was prefied more clofely to explain himfelf, alledged no other Reafon, than that it appeared fo to him, and that he could not conceive it other- wife ; afFeflfng, at the fame time, under this Darknefs and Ignorance a cer- tain Haughtinefs, as if his Underllanding was much fuperior to that of others. Sect. IX. Means to prevent this Evil. Now, for the Converfion of this Sort of Atheifis, fince the bell Metaphyjt- cal Arguments make no Impreffion on them, forafmuch as they do not con- ceive them, nor will give themfelves the Trouble to Itudy them, nothing feems to me more ufeful than to fet before them fuch Proofs as are only founded in thofe common Experiments, obvious to every Man's Sight; and I knov/ that one of this laft Sort, who could not eafily be induced to difcover any Weaknefs or Doubts in his Opinions, was thereby obliged to acknow- ledge, that fuch Proofs made him a little unealie. C 2 Sect. xij The T R EF A C E. Sect. X. The fourth Caufe is too great. a Conceit of one's own Wifdom. The Fourth Caufe oi Atheifn, as far as my Obfcrv'acions and Experience reach, proceeds from a too great Conceit of our own l^^ifdom, andjrom an impli- cit admittirig that to be Truths xuhich we are wont to deduce pom our own Ideas or Notions. And fome Men are ape to advance fuch their Notions with greac Arrogancy, as well concerning the Divine Attributes and Properties, as «! bout the fmallei]: Appearances in the Creatures: In fhorc, they except no- thing, and pretend to reduce every thing to an infallible Rule of PofTibility and Impoffibiliry, Truth and Falftiood, Good and Evil. This is the mod dangerous Kind of all : Fir/i, Becaufe they deny every thing that they do not conceive j and therefore all Divine Revelation (which is above their Undferftanding) is not only rejeded by them, but ridicul'd alfo. Secondly^ Becaufe they have the greateft Opportunity to fupport their Errors with fpecious and planfible Arguments, and to evade the Force of thofe Objeftions that are brought againft them, which they immediately make ufe of as foon as their Adversary commits the leaft Overiight or Blun- der, i^hirdly, Becaufe many of them, in their Converfation, do affume an external Appearance of Morality, and other Social Virtues, whereby they fometimes acquire a certain Efteem with the Ignorant, which may be of dangerous Confequence j the rather, becaufe divers of them having learned the Elements of Euclid, Algebra, and other fpeculative Parts of the Mathema- ticks, pafs amongft the Unknowing for %k edit Mathematicians- which Title does really no more belong to them, than that of a great Phiiofopher to one that underflands nothing but a little Logick ; fince People may be very well experienced in thcfe Ideal or Notional Sciences, and yet be Mafters of very little or no Knowledge at all in Things that adually exifl and come to pafs. But we mufl not from hence conclude, that fuch noble Studies do of them- felves lead thofe miferable Men into fuch erroneous Opinions; for thefe, in many Cafes, open the Way to the Difcovery of the Wifdom of God in the Works of the Creation, to which we could not otherwife attain: On the contrary, they are exceeding ufeful, unlefs when mifapply'd by thefe half-learned Men, who being puffed up with a little Knowledge, fancy they know every Thing, and defpife all thofe who do not Juft underfland as much as they themfelves about Lines and Quantities, tho' they be much wifer, and more judicious in o- ther Kinds of Learning. Sect. XI. Sp'moU briefly confuted. Tmus we find at prefenr, that in order to make even Atheijlical Writings to pafs for uncontroverted Truths, the Authors thereof have endeavour'd to give them the Form of Mathematical Demonflrations. A remarkable In- iiance of which may be feen in the Book of Spinofa, which has for that Rea- fon gained fo much Credit with many of thefe unhappy Perfons j becaufe thofe who do not rightly underfland the Mathematicks, judge from the External Ap- , ' pearanceSg The PREFACE. xiij pearances, that what is laid down therein is deduced from jull Mathematical Principles. Perhaps we may hereafter find an Opportunity more fully to (hew the Mi- ftaUes that are there advanced under the Name of Demonjirations, when we (liall compare 'em with fuch as are truly Mathematical. To fay a Word or two thereof en pajfent : ^ - I. There are two Kinds of Obje6ts, about which the Mathematicians do treat or employ themlelves, viz.. Ideas fimply confidered as fuch, and Ideas of Things really exifting ; that is, to fpeak more clearly. Mathematicians dif- courfe either only about their Ideas, or elfe about Things that are really exi- ing out of their Ideas. 2. The firft Manner is feen in the Speculative Geometry , fuch as the Ele- ments o^ Euclid, Algebra, &c. where they conceive a Point as fomething that has no Parts, a Line without Breadth, &c. So likewife they here confider Magnitudes, which have more than three Dimenfions, &c. which every Body knows are only certain Ways of our Conceptions, having no real Exiftence out of them. 3. The fecond Kind of Objed occurs in Afironomy, Opticks, &c. where things are confidered, which, befides our Ideas of them, have a real Exiftence in themfelves. 4. The Foundation of the Firfl:, befides Axioms, are Definitions, in which they defcribe their Ideas, without troubling themfelves whether there is any thing really exiiling that agrees therewith : Inftances of which we have juft now given : Accordingly it is with them a Truth, that the three Angles of a Triangle are equal to tivo Right ones, and wou'd ftill be fo, altho* every Thing in the World were circular, and that there were not really fuch a Thing as a Triangle. 5. The other way is founded upon Experiments and Difcoveries, which either they themfelves, or other creditable Perfons make of Things which are out of their Ideas, and fomething more than meet Conceptions. Thus a good AJlro- nomer lays down for the Foundation of his Science, that which he, or thofe whom he can believe, have experimentally difcover'd, namely, that there is really fuch a Thing as a Gkbe of the Earth, a Sun, a vifible Moonydvc Planets, fome of which have their Satellites, or Bodies circulating about them, and a great Number of fix'd Stars ; but does by no means extend his Imagination or Fancy to the Suppofition of other Worlds, and other forts of Bodies ; as for Inflance, that there are ten Suns, a hundred Moons, a thoufand Planets, and a very few fixed Stars; of which imaginary Worlds, he might neverthelefs bring a great many Proofs, which according to the firft Way of arguing, we may allow to be mathematical enough, but when adapted to the Things themfelves, would appear to be entirely falfe. 6 Now thofe that have read and underftood Spinofa, are fenfible that he only lays down his own Ideas and Notions for the Foundation of every thing, which therefore needs not to be farther proved here : From whence it may ap- pear to every one, that he applies this manner of difcovering Truths prepo- fleroufly to Things really exifting, of which true Mathematicians never make ufe. xi\r The V R EF A C R ufe, but only about their own Ideas; wherefore the whole Scries of To many Hypothefes and pretended Demonftrations in Spimfas Bock (tho' he (hould argue rightly upon thofe Principles, of which, however, the contrary may be proved in many Cafes) do reprefent nothing eife to us than only tlie Proptrries of thofe Imaginations or Conceptions, which that unhappy Author had formed in himfelf; nor can any Man thereby conclude any thing more from the Things themfelves, than an Aflronomer can do, who advances his own No- tions for the true Strudure of the Heavens. 7. So that from this Miftake alone the Weaknefs of al) Spimfas Arguments appears at one View, and how little his Way of Demonitracing agrees with that of true Mathematicians. Sect. XII. The Remedies again/1 this Fourth Caufe. But to return from this Digreffion: Since thefe unhappy Philofophers afcribe fo much to their own Underftandihg, and do exert their whole Strength to oppofe the Weight of all Metaphyjical Arguments, tho* they are fupported by flrong Reafons, the only Way that I have ever feen ufed with Succefsto overthrow their proud Fancies that they can conceive every Thing, and to fhew them the Narrownefs of their Underftandings (which is parti- cularly neceflary to their Converfion) is this,- let them be brought into a Chymical Laboratory^ or other Places where People are wont to make Phyiical Experiments, fuch as are not commonly known to every Body, and let them be asked what will be the Refult of fuch, or fuch an Operation, purfuant to their own Notions and Conceptions? In which, if they miftake, and Things appear quite contrary to what they expeded, they can have no Subterfuge or Evafion, but will be compelTd to acknowledge, that their Underftandings have been very little converfant upon Objeds really exifting : And in cafe they themfelves are verfed in Natural Experiments, let them be defired to con- template, without Prejudice, the Manner how every thing rhey fee comes to pafs, and to think whether the Power and Wifdom of the Great Creator and Ruler of all Things, does not appear as inconteftably in them, as the Judg- ment and Skill of any Artificer in the Machines that he has invented. Sect. XIII. The fi-fl Steps to Atheifm are Prejudices. Besides the above-mention'd four Caufes, there do occur to me other Steps or Inducements to Aijoeifm; which tho'they cannot properly be efteem'd Caufes^ as the former, yet they are ufed by many as Steps tovv^ards it; and tho' they do not always bring Men to deny, yet they do at leail tempt them to doubt of the higheft Truths. The firil: Sort of thefe are our Prejudices^ fome of which we brirg into the World along with us, as others proceed from the Slaviflmefs of our External Senfes. Thus Men fancy, for Inflance, that the Sun is no bigger than a Trencher, or iittle Difii, and that its Diftance from us is very fm.all: In the fame Manner the Planets appear to us as little contemptible Things. This being deeply impreffed m our Minds, tempts us to look upon the Grearnefs , of God with very fmall Refped or Reverence; fince from fuch Appeirances we The V R E F A C E. xv we judge there was very little Power neceflfary to form and govern them : Whereas, it we did (as we ought to do) confider the World in its immeafu- rable Expanfion, the Sun as a Globe of Fire, of a moft amazing Bignefs, and the Planets as fo many thoufand times bigger than this whole Earth, they would excite in us quite other forts of Conceptions, and make us ftand abalh- ed at the great Power of our adoreable Creator and Ruler. Another Prejudice, which hinders us from obferving the Wifdom of God in the Direction of the vifible World, iSy that when we cannot fee either Bo- dies or Motions, we are prefently, apt to fancy that there is nothing either of Body or Motion, but what we can fee with our own Eyesj for believing that that which is at Reft will always remain fo, and that nothing elfe is requifite to continue it^ it feems to us as if neither Power nor Direction were neccffary thereto, and that Fancy infenfibly leads us either to deny altogether, or at leaft hardly to acknowledge any Divine Providence m thofe Things and Pla- ces. Thus do many imagine, that in a Chamber, for Inftance, which is full of Light and Air, ail Things are ftill and quier, and confequently, that there is no Want in that Place of any Power and Wifdom to preferve us from Ac- cidents: But if one were to reprefent to fuch Men the incredible Strength of the Air furrounding them, and that without the Intervention of a Wife and Powerful Being, which continually retrains its refiftlefs Violence by a Coun- terpoife and Ballance of Force, they would be crulhf:d to Pieces in an in- ftant; and fo if they were made to conceive the terrible Motions of Light, which unlefs it were govern'd by certain Laws, by which its Rays are fepara- ted and fcatter'd, would, in the Space of a few Minutes, put this whole Globe of the Earth in a devouring Conflagration'; who could doubt, if he had the leaft Spark of Reafon in him, that he has not from hence the jufteft Caufe imaginable to praife and extol the Greatnefs, Poiver and Wifdorn of a God, who only preferves us from all thofe Dangers, and hinders us from perifhing in fo miferable a Manner. Sect. XIV. "the Means to cure Men cf thefe Prejudices. Now in order to be cured of thefe Prejudices, we are taught, by what has been already faid, that it is neceflary to enquire experimentally into the true State and Nature of Things, and afterv/ards to form a right Notion of them from thofe Proofs which are drawn from undeniable Experiments, and frequently to meditate upon the fame; this will make \.\s, as it were, feel with our Hands the Power of the great Ruler of all Things, if we do but carefully attend thereto. Sect. XV. 'Thefecond Step, the abfurd or wrong Manner of defer ihing Nature. The fecond Inducement or Inlet to Atheifm (tho' upon many Occafions it is in it felf ufcful and neceflary,. but by an imprudent Application fcrves to corrup: Mens Underftandmgs; is an abfurd and falfe Manner of Phikfophifing, or rather of InflruftDig any one in the Knmv/edge of Nature; under which Head I refer, in the firft Place, to (ixh fort of Books, as perhaps are nor wri'-teii with an evil De%n, but which, however, if you will believe the Authors them- xvj The T R E r A C E. themfelves, pretend to give a true Notion of the whole Frame and Conflru- d:ion of the World, and of all its vifible and invifible Parts, without Excepti- on; defcribing, after their Manner, with as much Aifurance as if they had been prefent, and were God A l m i g h t y*s Cabinet Council, how he made the World, how he put all Things together, and how he has produced and continued the Motion thereof; and (which I have often been furprized to hear from the Mouths of fuch as were otherwife Men of good Senfe) even how every Thing between the Circumference of the ftarry Heavens, and the Centre thereof, were made in the Beginning of the World. Now, if fo be that any Man fhould fall into fuch an unhappy Opinion, as jto receive for Truth all that he finds written in fuch Books, how can he do otherwife than believe, that there was no more Wifdom requifite to bring this glorious Frame of the World into fach a beautiful Order as we fee it, and to continue it in the fame, than what the Authors of luch Books were Ma- flers of? And how far this may in time miflead a great many young and un- experienced Perfons, and divert them from that Wonder and Reverence which is due to the endlefs Wifdom of God, it is eafie to imagine, and fome have found by fatal Experience. Sect. XVI. The Inconveniencies of Deducing evevy Th'mg from an Hypothecs , To this wrong Way of Thinking may be afcribed the Manner of Deducing aU the Phienomena of Nature from a certain H)potheJis. Now it will be very eafie to (hew, how many Occalions of tallnij^ into irreveent Thoughts of Go d's all-ruling Providence, this imaginary Manner ot Ph loft^philing fur- nifhes Men with; (ince fome Underftanuiw^s obfLivug rhat it coiis them more Pains to comprehend any notable Mathematical Propofition, or to fohe an Algebraical Queftfon, than to reprefent to themfclves the Caufes and Ope- rations of all that belongs to the vifible World, upon the Foot of fuch an Hy- pothefis ; the great Work of the whole Creation appears ro them more eaftly to be conceived than fome of the Inventions of the Mathematicians : From whence therefore a tacit Confequence is deduced by little and 1 ttle, that to- wards the Conftrudion and Government of the Heavens and the Earth, lefs Wifdom is required, than what many Perfons, whom they look upon to be great Mathematicians, are really poflefled of; and this does proportionably di- minifli the Reverence which they ought to have for the Wifdom of their -Great Creator; the Lofs of which is oftentimes one Stone of Offence, up- on which fome of my Acquaintance have firft flumbled, and afterwards fallen. Thofe who have been intangled in fuch a Labyrinth, are wont zealoiifly to engage themfelves yet farther therein, and, agalnft all the Con vidions of con- trary Experiments, to fupport their Hypothefes with all their Might; per- fwading themfelves, with a fecret Pleafure, that without bellowing any Trou- ble or Charges upon Trials, their own Hypothefes will ferve them for a true Key to open the mofl: hidden Secrets of Nature: And ro the end that they may not be brought into any Doubtings concerning the fame, from this Ob- fervation, that there may be more than one Hypothefis from which the fame Effeas The "PREFACE. xvij Effects are deducible (as is known in Afirommy and other Cafes) many of *eni are accuftomed to lay down this Maxim, That an Hypothefis may befajely main- tained to be the mofltruey becaufe it is the mofl Jimple; which Argument is of much the fame Force, as if any one feeing a Watch going in a Chamber, pretends to have rightly proved, that the fame is moved by a We/ghty and not by a Spring, becaufe the former of thefe appears to be the moft plain and fimple. Fmally, this Hypothetical Philofophy is fo much the more prejudicial, as it necellarily obliges Men to fancy that they have attained to a fundamental Knowledge of even the moft principal Things that occur in Nature; fince e- very one mull expedt to be looked upon as a compleat Fool, in cafe he pre- fumed to find out an Hypothefis which was proper to account for Phoenome- na wholly unknown to him; forafmuch as any Alteration in the Phceno?ne}m muft likewife neceflarily produce Alterations in the Hypothejis; and this can- rot be done without occafioning too mean an Opinion of the Works of our Great Creator, and even of the Creator himfelf. To difenrangle themfelves out of fuch a Labyrinth, more Pains are requi- fire than a Man who has never tried it can perhaps imagine; efpecially, if fuch Perfons be pretty far embarked in thefe Studies. Every one who has had the Trial of ir, knows how mortifying it is to give up an Hypothefis which he has believed and maintained for many Years to be true, upon which he has pored and meditated fo many Nights, with which he has blotted fo much Paper, and for the fake of it, ran thro* fo many Books; and, laftly, by the help of which, he fancies to himfelf, that he is arrived to the Top of all Wifdom, or at Icaft, that he fhall foon reach it. He that has a mind to fee an Inftance thereof, let him perufe the Preface to the Anatomy of the Brainy by the Learned Dr. Willis. Sect. XVH. The Remedies againft this E'vil. Now, in order to pievent the being feduced by this manner of Philofophi- fing by Hypothcfes only, it is firft neceffary, that Men fhould not dwell too long upon thole fpecuiativc Studies, tho' they fhould filently flatter us with the Fniicfulnefs of fuch Hypothefes, and the Reprefentation of the Greatnefs of out Underftanding; but we fhould give ourfeives up to aftual Experiments, not enquiring into the Opinions of Men, but into the Nature of Things them- felves, and fatisfy our fcivesof the Pozver and Pt^ifdom oi xhz adoreable Creator, after a quite different and more pofitive Manner, and learn how great is the Difference between knowing any thing Experimentally j and guefjing at it Hypothc tically. Sect. XVIH. Another Remedy. Another Way whereby we may fecure our felves againfl the Evil Con- fequences of this kind of Studies, is, when we are asked about Things of which our Ideas are not fufficiently clear, to anfwer calmly, and without blufhing, 1 know not; and by no means pretending by this, or that uncertain, or undemonftrated Hypothefis, to give an Account thereof, for fear of lofing^ the refped that belongs to us. This will prevent the naturally high Concepti- D ens xviij The 9 R EF J C R ons which we have of our own Underftanding, from throwing Dull in our Eyesj and it is the true Means to make us think humbly of our lelves, and to contemplate with Wonder the Works of our great Creator. I know very well how hard a Thing it is for one, who has an Opinion of the Fame of his own Learnmg, and who has devoted himfelt to thefe Stu- dies, to be brought to a frank Confeflion, that there is fcmething which he does ^ot how; the rather, becaufe this or that Hypothefis may leem always to furnifh him with a Back-door to evade fuch an Anfwer. Bur tho' this be a little fliocking at firft, yet the Man who is truly knowing, will foon bring himfelf to confefs, that there is fuch a Thing as an Erud'aum Nefcire, or a Learned Ignorance, 'viz.- in fuch a one, who knowing at firft what Great Men have pronounced about a certain Thing, yet can (hew experimentally, that their Opinions are not to be received for Truth, and being himfelf ask- ed about it, confefTes his Ignorance without Reludancy. This will by no means leiTen the Efteem which he has acquired by his Learning in the Opini- on of wife Men -, and yet will produce this Fruit, that quite different from many unhappy Arheifts, who fall into Error, thro' a Conceit of knowing all Things, he will acknowledge, that the Wifdom of God, as it fo.nes out m the Pha:nomena of the World, does far furpafs his own weak Underftanding. Sect. XIX. "the Ufe of Hypothefes. We would not, however, that Men fhould believe from hence, that we rejefl all Hypothefes as quite unneceffary; fince, if they be properly ufed, they are of great Service in many Cafes ; not only becaufe they reduce the Thoughts of an, Enquirer into a more regular Compafs, and hinder them from rambling out too far; but chiefly, becaufe they are of a part cular Advan- tage in directing the Judgments of young People, and fetting them a Pattern how they may afrerv/ards Difcourfe and Argue from Experiments; provided it be done with fuch Prudence and Caution as may lead them to make a juft Diftindion between the one and the other: Wherefore, it is commendable enough in thofe Perfons, whofe Defign and Duty requires them to direft Youth in the Courfe of their Studies. Sect. XX. A Third Inducement to Atheifm, to admit of no Final Caufes. I D o not know whether I (hould not lay down this for another Step or In- ducement to Atheifm, 'viz,, the Maxim that fome have taken up and main- tained, That in Phihfofhijlng^ no Notice is to be taken of previous Dejigns or Final Caufes. 1 do not here blame thofe Philofophers who affirm, that in the Study of Nature, where Men enquire how every thing /j, ABs^ and Moves, the Con- templation of Final Caufes have properly no Place; and I readily agree, that when one is asked, How does fuch a Thing happen? it is abfurd to anfwer. That it happens fcr fuch an End or Purpofe. But this is neverchelefs true, that if fuch a Rule be admitted without any Reftriftions, it may ferve to miflead Men into a raw Conception, that all Things are made without a View or Defign, and that meer Chance, or unknown Caufes, take place in the World : Yea, the I Queftion, The 9 R EF AC E. xix Oueflion, Why any thing happens i or. To u^hat End it is Serviceable ? ought not to be enthely banifhed out of Philofophy, as unworthy of great Underftand- ines • tho' we fliould allow, at the fame time, that it does not properly be- long' 'to that Part of Phyficks which contemplates the operating Caulesj this, I believe, every Body will grant, who having enquired into Natural Things, has with Pleafure, feen the Ufes thereof, and the Service which they render both to the World, and to Men. , ^, ., ^ , ,. . , , It is true, indeed, that in the Modern Philolophy, this is not taught ab- ftradly from other Things; but as in Pneumatics, the Properties of Spirits; in Phyjicsy thofe of Bodies; in Mechanics, the Laws of Motion; in Aponomy, the Properties of the Heavenly Bodies; in Optics,t.hofc of Light and Vifion arc handled ; fo it occurs to me, and I think not without Reafon, (if one fhould treat exprefly about the Defigns and wife Ends of the Creator,' and fhew the fame from the State of Things, and from their Ufes) that a Scopology, or Study of Ends, would prove one of the mod exalted Parts of Philofophy, and might contribute, not only to convince many (who otherwife forget God) of their Obligations, and jufl: Gratitude to their Great Maker; but likewife to ren- der Famous to all Poflerity, fuch as have been diligent and fuccefsful in dif- covering new Ufes of Things, tho' the Things themfelves have been known Ion" before. Thus we fee, that Harvey, in the Difcovery of the Circulation of tlie Blood, found out a Ufe that was never before known, of the Heart, Veins, and Arteries; fo did Malpighi, of feveral of the Parts of Animals and Plants; (o did Borelli, of the Inftruments of Motions ; whereby they have all of them rendered their Islames honourable to future Generations. Sect. XXL T'he Remedies again ft this wrong Notion. How much the Experimental Examination of the Creatures is ufeful to a- void the Evil Confeqnences of fuch rafn Principles, the nice and exad: Enqui- rers in this Age have fhewn us; efpecially the Anatomifls, who are wont, to all the Defcriptions they have given us of Bodies, exprefly to fubjoin the Ends and Dejigns for which they are fo compofed, together with their Ufes ; and very often expatiate from thence, upon the Praifes of the Wifdom and Good- nefs of that Being which has formed them ; of which the above-raention'd lau- dable Gentlemen, Harvey, Malpighi, BoreHi, and a great Number more, are illuflrious Examples. Sect. XXIL T'he Fourth Inducement is Difputes. The Fourth Inducement, which indeed does not of it felf always beget Atheifm, but yet infenfibly leads to it, and even hinders Men from being con- vinced of the moft Fundamental and Divine Truths, is thofe numerous Difputes that are flatted concerning them, and of which there is never any End. This need not be proved to thofe that are acquainted with the DIvifions among the Ancient and Modern Philofophers, who, tho' they join perhaps on all hands, to defend the Being and Attributes of a Go d againft Atheifts, yet do not agree in (but frequently rejed) the Arguments brought by one another D 2 to XX The J> R E F J C R to prove the fame. By fuch continual Differences, (efpecially if Paflion and ill Language be mix'd therewith) Men that are not fettled in tiieir Pr.nciples, are rendered jet more unftable and doubting; and there is too great a Handle given to fuch as deny a God, to maintain, with lome ku.d ot Probab.lity, that all that has been faid and believed concerning Him, is not attended with fo much Certainty as it ought. Sec t. XXIII. Means to prevent the fame. No w to the end that we fhould not be fubje6t to thofe Difputes, and that a total Stop may be put to them, we (hall here propofe a Means, which we hope may feem proper for that purpofe ; which is ferioufly to fet about enquiring, wherein the juft Charaderiftick, or Mark, of the Truth or Falfity of a Propofition or Enunciation confifts : For if People did but agree in this one Thing, they might, without any farther Caviliing or Difputing, judge with Certainty of Propofition, in cafe it was accompanied with the right Marks cf Truth, that it was True,- and if it had the contrary Marks, they might pronounce it Falfe ; and again, if thofe Marks were obfcure on both Sides, they would declare it doubtful and uncertain. But iince it is more to be wiflied than expeded, that the Difagreement a- mong Philofophers about the Charatterillicks of Truth, will ever be entire- ly laid afide ; the beft way that I can think of to avoid, and put an end to Difputes, is to make ufe of fuch Proofs of the Truth or Falfity of a Propor- tion, that have their Foundation not fo much in Arguments, as in undenia- ble Experiments, as often as it can be done. Men muft be well confirmed in what has been here laid down, fince we have a clear Proof thereof in our Modern Phyficksj it being known to every one, at leaft allowed by the mod Learned, that in order to be alTured of the Truth of a Pofition in this Science, the fame muft be demonftrated by Ex- periments; and it has been found, that the greateft Men of this Age, have al- lowed Experiments to be the only Charaderifticks of Truth, and that an end has been put by them to many Difputes, and that very few new ones have arifen in Natural Philofophy, which have nor thereby been quafhed almoft as foon as they appeared. Thus all the Debates, Wheiher rhe Blood circulates or not ? Whether Water rifes in a Pump by the Preffure of the Air, or not? Whether Nature can fuffer a Vacuum^ or empty Space or not ? and a great many others, about which Men have fo long wrangled, are now entirely re- moved by unanfwerable Experiments; and the Truth of the former, and confequently the Falfity of the latter, are proved even by Ocular Demon- flration: And fince the Motion or Refl of the Sun, has not yet been de- termined by any Experimental Proofs the moft famous Aftronomers have yet made, that mufl be rankM among thofe Things that are to be accounted un- certain: But cf this we (hall treat more largely when we come to the Contem- plation of Unknown or Undif cover* d Things. Sect. The PREFACE. xxj Sect. XXIV. 7he Ahufe of Academical Difputer, Before I quit the Subjed: of Difputes, I find my feif obliged to reore- fent, with great Submifiion to thofe Gentlemen in whofe Powei it is to re- form thofe Abufes, (in cafe th.s Book fhould ever have the Honour to be perufed by them) fomething that may prevent the fame; for tho' Difputes may have been at fiiit eflabhlhed and made ufe of in fome Univerlities witli a good View, and tor whetting the Underftanding; yet they have ^^iven oc- calion to many to cavil about the moit weighty Tiuths; infomuch, that you fhall often hear them in publick Difputes, arguing with as little Refptft and Humility about the Beiy>g of a God, as concerning the vaineft and mofl tVivo- lous Emia Rationis^ or Chimera's of the Brain; and you fliall fee them indif- ferently maintaining a 7hefts of the Great God of Heaven and Earthy and im- mediately after difcouiTing of a /7za//^w, or oi i7nagi?iar} Space -y and without any diilmftion of Reverence in the one Cafe or in the other. Tliis infenfibly engages them in a fad Cuftom of vainly ufing the tremendous Name of God very frequently, and without the leaft Devotion, and of making that moll fu- preme and adoreable Being, which ought not to be thought of, much kfs named without Emotion, the Objed of their wanton Speculations. What Evils this has been the occaiion of in fome, is xzij obvious to thofe who have experimented how much that Natural Contempt which they feel in their Hearts (without Reafon indeed) for Divine Things, has been thereby in- creafed. I leave it to thofe Gentlemen to whom the Superintendency over the Uni- verlities is intrufted, to find out Means, accordir.g to their preat Wjfdom for obviating thefe Abufes ; only, humbly offering it to their Confideration' whether the Weight of this Great Affair does not loudly call for an Anfwer to the following Queftions : Virfl^ Whether it fhould not be forb.d hencefor- wards, that the Name and Attributes of the moft adoreable Deity ^ fhould be made ufe of only as Means for exercifing young Underftandings, and furnifh- ing Matters for Difpure, with which Phi/ofophy docs, befides this, fufKcient- ly abound. Secondly, That thofe Truths, concerning God and his Perfefti- ons in the Metaphyjicks and DoEirine of SpirttSy wherewith Youth are to be in- flrufted, be rot any longer handled in Publick Difputations, but in private Affemblies only, and (as it is the Cuftom \n Divinity) after having poured out a Prayer to God, with that becoming Humility and Reverence which is due to rhe Gtipat Lord of all Things; the rather, becaufe moft commonly young Peonle only (who are of an Age in which the Judgments are moft eafily byafs'd or corrupted, and the PaiTions do moft prevail } are the Hearers of thefe Ledures and Difputations. By (uch Means w^ might begin to hope thar the Danger which arifes from this difvefpedful manner of Difputin^, mav be hindered from taking Root in young Minds; and that every body^might be convinced by the pious Examples of rhe Academical Teachers, and reve- rend handling of thefe Matters, that Learned Men do likewife fear God- the contrary to which is ma'ntain'd by many Atheiflsy and is one Metliod whereby they ftifle the Remorfes of their own Confciencc. Sect, xxi , The P R E F A C R Sect. XXV. The Fifth Inducement y Inattention or Heedlefnefs. Besides what has been already faid, there is ftill fomething more, which indeed does notcatry Men inco compleat Atheifm^ and yet does very much contribute to hinder them from difcovering God in his Works,- mfomuch, that many People do, upon that Account^ pafs their Lives without obfer- ving, at leaft without being convinced, ot thefe weighty Matters ; and that is a Natural Sloth and Carelefiufsj or want oj conjidering ivith proper Attention^ thofe Things in which the PerfeBions of the Creator Jhine out fo brightly. We are all defirous to fatisfy our Ciirioiity, and therefoie we earneftly contemplate, and oftentimes enquire into the Caufes of all thofe Things which we take for Wonders j becaufe the Manner in which they happen is unknown to us. If Comets or Parhelia appear, if the Sun or Moon happen to be eclipfed, how eagerly are they obferved both by Learned and Unlearned Men ; and yet we daily fee the Sun rife, and the Moon and Stars fliewing themfelves j the Earth and Trees cover'd with Flowers and Fruits ; Humane Creatures and Beads procreating^ and a thoufand other Wonders, and remain very in- different towards them all, without dwelling long enough upon the fame, andobferving them with that Care and Judgment we ought, or turning our Thoughts towards the firft Caufe and Author of all. Methinks one might conclude, that the frequently repeated View of fuch Things, each of which alone are wonderful in themfelves, fhould make fo much the flronger Impreffion upon our Minds; and yet moft commonly we experience the contrary. That this fhould obtain in ignorant People, is not fo fbange ; but it is much to be lamented, that fuch a Heedlefnefs (hould ma- ny times be found in thofe who do not want for good Underftanding, and who are defirous to pafs for Philofophers. One might likewife allow it in fuch as are not much accuftomed to value or fliew any refped for the Know- ledge of a God, or the true Caufe of a:l Things; but that others fhould be fo carelefs in this Matter, who are fo well convinced of the Importance of this Enquiry, that it does not fuffer them to be filent, but upon the leaft occafion do continually argue for it, (infomuch that I have not been able to difcover the Doubts in which they were, or had been) is a Thing that muft needs appear unaccountable to every Body, The Reader will nor difpute the Truth of what I have here advanced, when I tell him, that I have been perfonally acquainted with fome Men, who were formerly thus heedlefs, and altogether infenfible of the Works of the Great Creator; but being afterwards brought to a more due Attention, were aftoniflied at themfelves, that thofe very Things which a Wife Maker and Powerful Ruler did, as it were, caufe them to feel with their Hands, which had been known to them fo long before, which they had frequently meditated upon in their Studies, which they had read in the Works of o- ther Men, and had often difcourfed of them with others, fhould not have carried their Thoughts up to God, nor caiifed them to feel in themfelves the leaft Conviction of his Being. If The P R E F A C R xxiij If Cuftom be the occafion thereof, which, becaufe we daily fee fo ma- ny Wonders, makes us receive them without any Impreffion j one can on- ly fay, that it is by fiich a Cuftom we become quite Blind, and wholly In- fenfible. Sect. XXVI. Means to prevent fuch Inattention. The only Natural Means that I ever found effedual to render us more attentive to every Thing, is frequently to apply our felves to new Difcove- ries and Experiments, which appearing to us upon every EiTay, to be New and Uncommon, do give us an occafion of obferving with Aftonifhment the Wifdom, Po-wer and Goodnefs of Him that Orders all Things after fuch a manner; efpecially, if we endeavour to wean our felves (which is here ab- folutely neceflary) from this our Natural Sloth, and continually join our Ex- periments with thefe Obfervations. This is not the Place to take notice of another and true Caufe of our Blind- nefs, which, in this refpeft, is fo great as to hinder us from feeing the Per- fedions of God in the Works of the Creation, tho' they be daily before our Eyes ; to wit, the unwerfal Corruption of Mankind ; becaufe this is only to be remedied by Prayers, and by the Grace of God it felf; but .no ways by natural Means, which is what we are here chiefly concerned about. Sect. XXVII. Ifliy we only ?nake ufe of Proofs drawn from Natural Phi- ' lofophy. From all that has been already faid, it may be inferred, that the exaft and experimental Obfervations of what we fee in the World, is a demonftra- tive Means, not only to obviate fo many Caufes and Inducements to Atheifm, but llkewife to attain to the Knowledge of a God and his Perfeftions by his Works ,• and let no Man think it ftrange, that in the following Difcourfes I make ufe of this Method, and not of other kind of Arguments, which are commonly called Metaphy/tcal. The Reafons that led me thereto are thefe : Firfl, Becaufe many learned Perfons have unanfwerably confuted the A- theifls after a Metaphy/tcal Manner, that is, fuch a one as is built upon Rea- foning : The Proofs therefore, of this Kind, may be found in great abun- dance in their Writings. Secondly, Becaufe Experience and Converfation with fome of thefe unhap- py Philofophers, has taught me, that the Contemplations of G o d's Works, when one could bring 'em thereto, has induced fome among them to alter their Sentiments, who for many Years had withftood other Proofs ; becaufe the Subtlencfs of their Underftanding feemed to furnifh them always with a Handle to difpule againft Metaphyseal Arguments, and fo left them flill dif- fatisfied. ' £ c t; x^;iv The "PREFACE. Sect. XXVIII. Becaufe GOD is pleafed to make ufe of this Way in his Holy Word. The Word of God does likewife give Teftimony to this fame Method in many Places of it : Thus we fee St. Paul makes ufe of the Creatures for a DemonRranon of God's Eternal Exiftencej Rom. i. 20. T^he invifibk Things . oj himy fnm the Creation of the Worlds are clearly feen^ bei}:g imderjicod by the "Things that are ?nade, even his Eternal Power and Godhead. In the fame Manner David relating the Works of God in a moft fublime and pathetical Strain, in feveral Verfesofthe 104th Pfilm, proves from thence liis great Wifdom, ver. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy Works ! in M^ifdtm hafl thou made them all. Thus the G od of Heaven does not command us to feek for Arguments from the Depths of Piiilofophy, in order to fee his Power, but only to turn our Eyes towards his Works; Ifatah xl. 76. Lift up your Eyes on high^ and behold who hath created thefe 2 hir.gSy that bringeth out their Hoft by Number ; he calleth them all by Names, by the Greatnefs of his Might, jor that he is firong in Power y net one faileth. His Mercies are alfo (hewn from his Aftions \x\ the 107th Pfahn. We likewife fee the Almighty himfelf in the Book of fob, Chap, xxxvlii, xxxix, xl, & xli. making ui^ of Proofs taken only from his Works, exhorting us, in many Places of his Holy Word, after the moft earneft Manner, thus to contemplate his Perfedions in his Works. Thus we he^ir the Holy Ghofir, in the loyrh Tfal. ver 43. after having given a circumflantial Relation of the Adions of God, finally making this Conclufion : Who is wife, and will ob- ferve tloofe things ? Even they Jlmll underfiand the Loving-kindnef oj the Lord. From whence it plainly appears, that towards fuch wife Underftanding, no feigned Hypothefes, but an Obfervation of Things themfelves, which can only be made by Experiments, is required; for which Reafon Men are wont even to this Time to beftow the Latin Term of Obfervations upon what we find out by Experience. And fo great a Strefs is laid upon this Exhortation of knowing God by his Works, that thofe who do not ftudy them after that Manner, are pro- nounced Foolifh, and void of Underftanding j Pfal. xcii. 5, 6. Lord, how great are thy Works ? and thy Thoughts are very deep : a brutijh Man kmweth twt, neither doth a Fool underfiand this 5 for which Reafon, the not enquiring into the fame, is by the Spirit of God reckoned among the Caufes of Atheifm ; Pfal. X. 4. The Wicked, thro' the Pride of his Countenance, will not feek after God: God is not in all his Thoughts. S L c T. XXIX. The General Troof or Demonflration of a GOD. After having fully comprehended all tlie foregoing, we might now have proceeded to the Contemplations of the World, and the Perfedions of G o d, in the Compofition, Parts and Motions thereof, were it not that what fol- lows may yet Icem to require, that we ftiould previoufty fiiew after what Manner, from the vifible World, and that which we fee pafs therein, agProof may The "PREFACE. xxv may be formed upon, which we may rely and be afTured, F/r)?, That there is a God, that is to fay, a Wife, Powerful and Gracious Maker and Direftoc of all Things J And, Secondly y That the Bible (his revealed Word) is of a Supernatural and Divine Origin. As to the Manner of Demonftrating the Firfl, I (hall, without entering into deep Speculations, like fome Philofophers, ferioufly entreat every one, that with a compofed Mind, and divefting himfelf of his Paflions and Preju- dices, he would (ilently fet down, and ferioufly confider, Fn/r, in cafe he fiiould fee that, 1. Not one, but a great many, 2. And various or different, 3. Things entirely ignorant, or unknowing of all, and even of thcmfelves too : 4. Each of them frequently, after a particular Manner, 5. However always unchangeably, and obferving the fame Rule j 6. Do aft and move not once, but upon many Occafions and Times ; 7. And not one of all them able to impart fuch Motion to it felf ; 8. Not unlefs they thus come together of themfelves, can produce one fin- g',e Effed without their own Knowledge : 9. In the Produdion of which Effed or Thing, if fome few Circumftan- ces only, or oftentimes but one fingle one were wanting, it could not either be produced at all, or at leaft not in its due Perfedion : 10. Altho' that fame EfFed fiiould in itfelf be of great Ufe and Service, and fometimes of the utmoll Importance : Could he imagine otherwife, than that all thefe things are formed to that End, and brought together with that Defign, to work fuch an Effed as we obferve to be produced by them ? And, Secondly y Suppofing this firfl to be true, fince thefe things are in themfelves igno- rant and unknowing of all that pafles ; whether every Body mufl not agree, that they are all produced, and made to concur by a wife and underfland- ing Agent, who had fuch an End and Defign in his View ? And whether any one can perfwade himfelf, that meet Chance, and unknowing Laws of Nature, or other Caufes ignorantly co-operating, could have Place herein, and could have direded and governed thefe Things in all their Circumftances and Motions for fuch a Purpofe ? That this may be fhewn after a more plain and not lefs certain Manner," let us apply to fome particular Thing what has been juft now advanced in general, and as it were in an abftraded Manner; and let us fuppofe, that in the middle of a fandy Down, or in a Defart and folitary Place, where few People are ufed to pafs, any one (hould find a Watch, dewing the Hours, Minutes, and Days of the Months, and having examined the fame, (hould perceive fo many different Wheels, nicely adapted by their Teeth to each o- ther, and that one of them could not move without moving the reft of the whole Machine ; and (hould farther obferve, that thofe Wheels are made of Brafs)r in order to keep them from Ruft; that the Spring is oi Steel, no other £ Metal xxvj The T R E F A C R Metal being fo proper for that Purpofe ; that over the Hand there is placed a clear Glafs ; in the Space of which, if there were any other but a tranfpa- rent Matter, he muft be at the Pains of opening it every time to look upon the Hand : Befides all which, he might difcover in it a Hole, and exadly oppofite thereto a little fquare Pin : He would likewife fee hanging to this fame Watch a little Key compofed of two Pieces, making a right Angle to- gether ; at the End of each of which there was a fquare Hole fo order a, that one of them was exaftly adapted to the little Pin in the faid Hole, which being applied thereto, a Chain would be wound up, and a Spring bent, by which Means the Machine would be continued in Motion, which otherwife would be in an entire Reft : He might alfo find, that the other fquare Cavi- ty, at the End of the little Key, was adapted to another Pin or Inftrument, which being turned this Way or that, makes the Hand move fafter or flower. At the other End of this little Key there would be a flat Handle, which be- ing moveable therein, might give him the Conveniency, that in the Winding it up, he fliould not be obliged to take hold of it at every Turn of his Fingers. Laftly, He v/ould perceive, that if there were any Defed either in the Wheels, Spring, or any other Parts of the Watch ; or if they had been put to- gether after any other Manner, the whole Watch would have been entirely ufelefs. Now the Queftion is, in order to form a Kind of Demonftration from hence, Firfti Whether any Body can imagine, that fuch a Watch among o- ther Pui'pofes. to which it might perhaps be ferviceable, was not likewife made for this End, that it ftiould fliew the Hours, Minutes, and Day of the Month. Secondly^ Whether he fliould make the leaft Scruple to admit it for a Truth, that fuch a Machine was made and put together by an underftand- ing Artificer for this very Purpofe, who, when he made it himfelf, knew that, and to what End he had made it. And, Thirdlyy Whether it be poflible that he can perfwade himfelf that this Watch, with all belonging to it, the Nicenefs of its Makes,Figure of fo many Parts, and other Contrivances for fhewing the Time, could have acquired its Being and Form by meer Chance only, which operated indifferently one way or another, and without any certain Rule or Direftion ? Or otherwife, whether he could expeft to pafs for a Man of Senfe and Underfl;anding, if having found this Watch in a folitary Place, he fliould pre- tend to believe that it was not made by a skilful Workman, nor that its Parts were put together with Judgment; but that there was a certain igno- rant, and yet necelfary Law of Nature prevailing in the World, that had brought into a regular Method all the Parts of which this Watch confifted, and had adapted each of them to the Ufe of fliewing the Time of the Day j and efpecially, that fuch a Law of Nature was not only ignorant and unfenfi- bleof all thatit did, or brought to pafs, but likewife, that no Being, endued with any Wifdom or Underftanding, had eftablifiied and produced this Law at the Beginning, or in the leaft contributed to the making the feveral Parts that compofed a Machine proper to fliew the Hours, 2 What The PREFACE. xxvij What has been faid above concerning a Watchy is not lefs applicable to all other artificial Works j it will be therefore unneceffary to alledge any farthec Examples of Mills, Ships, Sluices, Houfes, Paintings, &c. In all which, the Wifdom and Underftanding of the Maker does equally appear. Finally, We may apply all that has been faid above to demonflrate, that there is fuch a Wife, Mighty, and Merciful Being as God, in cafe we can make appear with as great (not to fay a much greater) Certainty and Convi- ftion, from the Conftrudion of the vifible World, and all tiiat paifes therein, that there is a God and Great Creator, who in Wifdom has made them all ; as we can fhew from the Strufture of a Watch, and the Ufes that refult from the fame, that it has been made and put together by a judicious and skilful Workman ; and this we doubt not of doing in the following Contem- plations, with all neceffary Clearnefs. Sect. XXX. A particular Manner of Corroborating thefe Proofs in fome other Circumfiances. We (hall not here enumerate other Kinds of Proofs, to (hew the Defeft of the Principles of thefe miferable Cavillers, which we have made ufe of up- on fome particular Occafions in this following Work, becaufe we will not make this Preface too long. They that find them in fome Places, are defired to apply them to others where they think them to be of equal Force ; though, for Brevity fake, we may have there omitted them. As for Inflance, in cafe the Reader be not fufficiently affeded or convinced by what is faid of Living Creatures, Plants, Heavenly Bodies, and fuch like, let him imagine to himfelf that he faw the fame Things imitated in little ; and that tho' they be incomparably more imperfeft, yet they do in fome man- ner counterfeit the Works of Nature. To fpeak more plainly, let him fancy that he fees a Wooden-Horfe put into a Motion by Springs and Wheels, a Wooden- Bird flying (of which Hiftory has made mention) or let him fuppofe that he fees in a little Machine, a gilded Globe, reprefenting the Sun, and other little Balls, which like Planets circulate about it ,• and then let him ask himfelf, whether he has Boldnefs enough to maintain, in the Prefence of Wife and Learned Men, that all thefe Things appear to him to be produced by meer Chance, or by certain unknowing natural Laws ^ And whether he has not a great deal of Reafon to believe, that fuch Sentiments would be juftly laugh- ed at, even by the Ignorant themfelves ? And after all, let him confider with how much lefs Reafon he entertains fuch Opinions, entirely different from thofe of all wife Men, concerning the true, natural, and unconceivably more perfed Things, which daily occur to his own, and all other Mens Obferva- tion in the World. Sect. XXXI. A General Proof, that the Scriptures are of a Divine Original. The fecond Thing that is here neceflary to be enquired into, before we pafs on to the Contemplations of the World, is a certain Manner of proving (which we (hall upon fome Occafions hereafter infill on) that the Bible, as E 2 it xxviij The V REF ACR it is call'd by ChYtfiianSy was writ by a certain Great and more than Humane Wifdom, and that it is of Divine Authority and Original. To fpeak a Word or two of it here in general, I entreat my Reader feri- oufly and carefully to confider. In cafe he fhould meet with a Book, which for weighty Reafons was held to be Divine by other People, among whom there were a great many that he allowed to be very underftanding Perfons; and fuppofing, that whilft he read and examined it, he fhould find, Firfl, That this Book did frequently make mention of certain Qualities of Natural Things (tho' with another View, arid as it were en pajfam) after fuch a Manner, as none but an Eminent, Wife, and Experienced Naturalift could do'y Whether he would not be obliged to conclude, with refped to that on- ly, that fuch a Book muft have been writ with fingular Wifdom ? Secondly Suppofe he fhould be farther convinced, by irrefragable Proofs, that this Book did reprefent, with the clearefl Words, certain Properties of Natural Things ^ which at the fame Time it was writ (at Icaft fo far as can appear to us) were not known to any living Perfon, nor for want of the ne- ceilary Inftruments could poflibly be known to any, whether it were to be doubted, that fuch a Book were writ with more than Humane Wifdom? And this being granted, from whom can we more reafonably conceive it to be derived, than from the Omnifcient Creator of all Things? To whom alone, the Things that were hid from every one elfe in thofe Ages, were known and open. And in cafe you defire to have this laft proved more ftrongly, we may fubjoin, thirdly. That in fome Places of this Book is exprefs mention made of the Bounds and Limits of Humane Knowledge in future Things ; the Truth of which could not appear, but to the following Generations. This being fo, as it fhall be proved hereafter. Can any but a Divine Power determine and limit, by clear and plain Expreffions, that certain Things fliall come to pafs after many Ages ? And when they have fo happened, muft not every one acknowledge, that it could proceed from no other than a Di- vine Original? Sect. XXXII. No Proofs can be brought of the Divinity of the Alcoran of the Mahometans. What has been here faid concerning the wonderful Wifdom that fo brightly appears in the Holy Scriptures, might truely be urged upon many Occafions againft the Alcoran of the Mahometans, where we fiiould in vain feek for an Account of the Conftrudion of the World, of which fo much ap- pears in the Bible of the Chrifiians ; but fince thefe Papers are not fo much calculated for the Convidion of Mahometans as of Atheifts and Unbelievers in general, it feems to me fufficient, juft to touch upon it here, without repeat- ing it upon every Occafion in the following Difcourfes. Sect. The PREFACE. XXIX Sect. XXXIII. A jimt Account of •what is propofed to be done in the following Work. Now that we may reduce all that has been faid to its End and Dejign, and that we may convince every reafonable Perfon of the Perfedions of G o d, this alone chiefly remains ; Firft, That we endeavour to fhew, that in the vifible World, or rather in that little of it that is as yet thorowly known to us by Experience, there does appear fo much Wifdom, fo much Power, fo much Goodnefs and wonderful Views, that the greateft Work of Art that ever was prepared by Men, is not comparable to it in the leafl. And, Secondly^ that we endeavour, by convincing Examples, to fhow the undeniable Truth of what has been faid above, relating to the Holy Scrip- tures. We know very well that an Atheifl may, upon fome Occafions, objefl a- gainft this laft,- that, perhaps y at the Time when the Bible w^s writ, Tele/copes and Micro/copes were in ufe, and, pojpbly, brought to as great, if not greater Perfedion than we find them in this prefent Age j by which Means they will endeavour to evade the Proof which we, in fome Places, have urged from the late Difcoveries thereof: But to anfwer them in one Word, let them con- fider with themfelves, Firfly That altho' we have Aftronomical Obfervations of many Ages paft, and with them the Defcriptions of feveral Inftruments then ufed ; yet we do not find any mention made of Tele/copes, nor fo much as the Name of Micro- /copes among any of the ancient Enquirers into Nature. Secondly y That the Inventors of thefe two Inftruments, who lived in the foregoing Age, were known to all the Philofophers ; no body being yet able to prove from any Memorials, that they were known to others before. 'Thirdly, Whether it be credible, that the old AJlrommers or Naturalifls, if they had known the Things that have been fince difcover'd by thefe Optical Inftruments, would have tranfmitted down to Pofterity their defedive, and, many times, falfe Conceptions of Things. Finally, And which is of the greateft Importance, let them ferioufly confi- der, how prudent it is, in a Matter upon which their cverlafting Welfare or Mifery depends, tofupport their Sentiments with aperhaps^ or it may be, when^ befides, every Thing that appears in Hiftory makes againft 'em. The (I ) The Religious Philofopber : OR, THE Right Ufe of the Contemplation of the World^ FOR THE Convidionof Atheifts and Infidels. CONTEMPLATION I Of the Vanity of all "worldly Things. Sect. I. Every Man is placed here without his own Concur- rence. O begin therefore by convincing not only thofe who are ftill under Doubts, (whether they be to be reckoned among the External Chriftians or not) but even the de- plorable and obflinate Atheift, of the great NecefTity there is to be rightly aflured of the moft important Truths, and to corred thofe Miftakes which he has hitherto admitted concerning every one of 'em, is en- treated moft ferioufly to refleft upon the Things which his own Experience informs him daily to come to pafs about him, and to ask his own Confcience, whether he don't find himfelf placed in this World without any Ad or Concurrence on his own Part ? Whether it be in his Power to prevent his being one while Happy, Heal- thy and Strong 3 another while Unhappy, Sick and in Pain ? Whether one Day 2 The Religious Thilofopher. Day does not follow another without his Leave, in which divers things be- fal him, fome with, others againft his Mind, notwithftanding that he feels in himfelf a continual Defire influencing and governing all his Endeavours of obtaining Good, and avoiding Evil ; which fometimes fucceeds, and at other times happens quite otherwife than he hoped for or intended, by Acci- dents which he could not efcape ? VVhether he does not obferve, that what befalls him is in common with other Men ? But chiefly, VVhether he does not fee that many Men die daily, and that very few of them feem to have any Thoughts concerning Death, efpecially whilft they are in Health ? Notwithftanding that Sicknefs and Dif- eafes, by which they are fnatched away, oftentimes ftand in need of but few Weeks, fometimes few Days, yea even Hours, to change them from flrong and healthy Men into dead Bodies or Carcafles. Sect. II. And mufl he convinad of the Uncertainty of his Life. Further, whether he is not like all other Men, ignorant of the Time when Death fhall overtake him ? Yea, at the End of one Year he fees a great many, who in the Beginning of the fame, were alive and healthy (and fome of whom fecmed to be ftronger than himfelf} to be fingled, as it were with Defign, out of the great Number of Mankind, and to be a Sacrifice to Death and the Grave ; and that no Body has been able hitherto to find out any Rule or Law whereby_he could conclude, that this or that Man fhould die firft ; unlefs perhaps fome very old or incurable Perfons, of whom in- deed he might fay, that their Death was not far off : But even in fuch cafe, 'tis not lefs true that he is ignorant, as near as they may feem to be to their End, whether he himfelf fhall not go before them ; fo that every Man is forced to own, that his End may be near, as well as that of thofe whom he fees die before him ; and who, whilfl they were in Health,^ knew as little thereof as he himfelf does now of his own Death. fcc T. III. He mufl likewife be convinced of the Vanity of all worldly Things •with refpeSi to himfelf. Now fince Death doesfofurely overtake every Man, and yet the Time of it is fo uncertain ; fince it deprives us of the Ufe and Enjoyment of all that is in the World, ought not every one that confiders thefe Matters be convinced of the great Vanity that is in himfelf, and in all worldly Things with refped to him ? Forafmuch as he cannot enjoy either Profit or Pleafure from thence, but fo long as he lives ; and how long, or how fhort that Lifip willlaft, he knows not. This only he knows, that when he is arrived to a certain Number of Years, it cannot be very long : And he cannot fay, if he confiders every Thing as he ought, that it is very defirable to attain to a great Age ; fince being deprived of the Ufe of all his Faculties, his Death is as it were anticipated thereby ; for it leaves him neither Feet to walk. Eyes to fee. Ears to hear, or Teeth to eat with ; and thus, while he is flill alive, he is by degrees thrufl: out of the Company of Men, and becomes, as one may fay, a living Carcafs. Sect. The Religious Thilofopher. g Sect. IV. It is not even de/trahle to live here continually , tho* in Healths Now if we fhould add to all this, that fuch as live long are not only fubjed to the Infirmities of old Age, but often to very grievous Sicknefs and Pains, fome of which are entirely or almofl incurable, viz.. in cafe he be de- prived of all his Strength, and worn away by a Confumption, or tormen- ted by the Gout, or Stone in the Bladder, by a cancerous Humour, or by the Falling-Sicknefs, to fay nothing of a thoufand -other Diftempers to which he is obnoxious, and which he may jaflly apprehend, becaufe he fees fo many other Men affeded with 'em : Would not he have a great deal of Reafon to wifh that merciful Death might fet him free from all thefe, and from miferable old Age at the fame Time ? Now if one fhould fuppofe, which however fcarce happens to any Man, that the Evils of old Age do not render his Life a Burden, and that he Ihall enjoy even as long as the World it felf fhall lafl, the fame Strength both of Body and Mind as he did in his Youth ; yet when he ferioufly confiders every Thing, this very State and Condition, far from being defirable, mufi: appear to him very deplorable : For, Firfiy in cafe his Native Country fhould be ruined and laid wafle by Earthquakes, Inundations, or War, he cannot efcape Mifery and Poverty as well as the reft : And how many Years of tediou^ Labour are there required to repair what he has loft, fo as to be able to enjoy the fame the remaining Part of his Life ? And having fcraped it up again with Trouble, muft not this Man, who is to live as long as the World ftands, be always in Pain and Fear of lofing it, either after the fame, or fome other Manner ? At leaft, fince the World it felf is fubjed to thofe Revolutions with which the Hiftories of all Ages have acquainted us. How few Governments are there that have been able to keep their Footing for fe- veral Ages together, and of which the Inhabitants have not been driven or rooted out ? And on the contrary, how many can we reckon, which after they have rifen to the higheft degree of Glory and Grandeur, yet at laft have found their End in an entire Deftrudion? So that even fuch a long and healthy Life, as we have been fuppofing, would only be a miferable Pilgri- mage for him, in which, when he had hardly come out of one calamitous State, he would be in a continual Apprehenfion of another. And if no evil Accident fliould overtake him (which is not to be con- ceived) what Pleafures are there in the World that are lafting? So that he can exped nothing elfe, but that fuch a Pleafure, which whilft it was new, was very agreeab'e to him, either by long Enjoyment (as Cuftom renders all Things) would become firft indifterent, and afterwards infipid ,• or at beftj by the Uncertainty which is vifible in all Things, would foon forfaks him : Had he a Wife, Children, and good Friends, which are the moft comfortable Things of this V> orld they would all die before him ; and he would every time be fubjed to that heart-breaking Sorrow, of lofing thofe deareft Treafurcs, were they to live long ? So foon as they are overtaken by the Infirmities of old Age, they would only be continual Objeds of Pity, and confequenily of Grief to him : Yea, every Thirty, Forty, or at leaft F Fifty The Religious Philofopher. Fitty Years, he would meet with a new, and confequently a ftrange Gene- ration, and be obliged at every Turn to enter into new Friendfliips and a new Acquaintance j or to converfe with unknown People, v/hofe Inclinati- ons he muft ftudy and learn to know again, to the End that he may, whe- ther he will or no, conform his own to theirs, if he expefts to enjoy any Favour or Kindnefs among them, and not to be excluded from their Con- verfation as a fliff and ill-natur'd Fellow : And if he has had Children, of which even a numerous Pofterity are remaining, what Friendfliip and Love can he promife himfelf from them ? Who, tho* they were defcended from him, would be yet in a remote Degree of Relation ; fince Experience teaches us, how foon all Kindred, after a few Defcents, grow flrange to one ano- ther : And I have often thought, if Adam himfelf, our common Father, (hould return again to the World, and ftay here fome Ages, whether any of his Pofterity would receive him friendly ? Efpecially if he fhould pre- tend to make ufe of that Right, by which he alone would be entitled to, the Property and Government of every thing : Would not the moft Part, if not every individual Man, think that he did them Wrong, and fee him, with Concern, taking Pofleflion of their Habitations ? Now in cafe the Re- fpeft and Love which every one owes him, could not fo far prevail, as to render a Father happy among his Pofterity, what could be expeded by a Man in fo great, tho' ftrong and healthy old Age, who would be no longer confidered as a Father, but as a remote Kinfman, whofe Pedigree could not be traced, or perhaps even as a meet Stranger ? Sect. V. The miferable Condition of the Atheifls. "Since then a long and healthy Life, which otherwife fecms to be the moft delirable Bleiftng upon Earth, is fo vain, a Man cannot be render d happy thereby ; let any one who doubts or denies the Perfeftions of a G od, extend his Thoughts farther; and fee, F/V/?, how direadful fuch a Life would be to him in particular, even tho' according to his miferable Philo- fophy, he had no G od to fear, and that all Things were direded either by meet Chance, or by irrational, unknowing, and necefifary Caufes. For from fuch Principles as thefe, he muft grant, th^t in cafe he were unhappy, nothing but Chance could relieve him ; if he were happy, fince the Caufe thereof is accidental and ignorant of its own Effefts, he muft live in a continual Fear, that every Moment may change his Condition : And not to reckon up all the Circumftances that may evince the fame, what is therein the World from which he can exped the leaft Happinefs or Advan- tage with any Foundation of a reafonable Hope, and from whence he can exped any Love or Good-will towards him, let him behave himfelf as he will ? And that Man's Life muft be very miferable, who is neither Loved nor Efteemed by any Body. Suppofe he were a Prince that Governs a whole Nation, how can he think, without great Uneafinefs, that it is by meet Chance his Subjeds obey him ? If he be fubjed, and lives under the Com- mand of a Superior, muft he not tremble when he confiders that it is Ac- cidental only that his Goods are not ftolen ,• his Houfes burnt -, his Wife and I Daugh- The Religious ^hilofopher. 5 Daughters Ravlfhed ; his Sons carried into Slavery or Murdered ; and that it is by meer Accident that his Children, being Wicked, do not, without any fcruple of Confcience, Poifon him for the Sake of his Inheritance, in cafe they think he keeps them too long out of it ? And fince upon this- fame Hypothefis there is no kind of Order or Providence, and that Chance, as Chance, may at all times produce, indifferently, this or that Effcd ; Muft he not tremble when he looks upon the Earth, which, if every Thing de- pends upon Chance, may immediately begin to burn under him, cr may open her Mouth and fwallovir him up ? And if he looks into the Air, muft he not imagine, that it is purely Accidental that he is not deftroyed by Storms and Tempefls, by Thunder and Lightning, or that Rains and unfea- fonable Weather do not ruin all his Plantations and Poileffions ? In vain, alfo, will he endeavour with fuch like Conceits to avoid all thefe Terrors ; though he fiiould admit that it was not a meer Chance, but an unintelligent Neceffity which Governs the Univerfe by certain unchangea- ble Laws ; for fince according to thefe fuppofed Laws, he fees feveral in- terfering Operations of Nature come to pafs, whilft he fees the Air one time Calm, another time Tempeftuous ; whilft he fees the Wind from the South, and then again from the North ; the Sea Ebbing and Flowing j one Seafon extreamly Hot, another very Cold, and the like^ muft he not con- fefs (tho* he fliould fuppofe that all this did neceflarily happenj that it will be as terrible to him as Chance it felf ; to him who knows not when a con- trary Effeft fhall be produced according to thefe fame Laws. Sect. VL The Advantages which they that Love and Fear a God enjoy. Lastly, Let him tell us fincerely, whether in refped to all that has been faid, he does not think thofe Perfons to be unfpeakably more happy, who are convinced that they depend upon an adorable Creator ; by whofe Wifdom they have been fo wonderfully formed ; whofe Power has rendered fo many of his Creatures fubfervient to their Well-being ; who has given them the Capacity t;o enjoy the fame with Pleafure and Thankfulnefs ; who being Wife and Mighty, can preferve them, and being Merciful, will pre- ferve them ; that without his good Pleafure, none of the aforefaid Evils come upon them ; infomuch, that if He be with them, nothing can be againft them ; wlio, befides the good Things of Nature which He is largely and conftantly dealing out to them, makes known his Word to them ,• and to remove all their Doubts, has ftamp'd it with irrefragable Marks of its Divine Original ; who has there revealed His Will, purfuant to which He will be fought after, ferved, thanked, and praifed by them ; who has there manifefted his Love to them, which paffes all Underftanding ; and has like- wife promifed to render them eternally happy after Death. Sect. VII. It is therefore necejfary to feek for the Demonflratiom of a God, Pfalm xiv. i. Now fince every Atheift muft confefs, that his own Principles (unlefs he will deny thenj too) do render him unhappy, and caufe him to live in F 2 continual (5 The Religious Thilofopher. continual Apprehenfions ; I leave him to judge, whether a Man muft not be a very abfurd Perfon, and, as it were, an Enenny to himfeif, who notwith- - ftandingthat he Tees the contrary Opinion maintain'd by nniany others, oF whofe Wifdom he has no Reafon to doubt, yet takes all the Pains imagina- ble to perfwade himfeif that there is no God; and therefore, whether the Holy Penman of the iirft Verfe of the 14th Pfalm, has not a great deal of Reafon to give fuch a Man the Name of Fool? who tho' he can never prove his Opinions, yet with all his Heart, and all his Soul, endeavours to make himfeif Miferable, and to run headlong into a State full of Terror and Diftraftion ; that is to fay, into the Condition of an Atbeifi. For a Confirmation of the Truth of what has been here faid, I could far- ther add, that I my felf have heard one of thefe miferable Wretches, whofe Judgment feemed capable of every Thing but acknowledging a Go d, lament the Unhappinefs of his Condition with great franknefs, and in the mod pa- thetick Manner. And I can't forbear faying, that the Remembrance of it does flill very much affea me whilft I am now writing it, tho' long after his Deceafe. To proceed; If any one has a true Love for himfeif, and does but hear that it is maintained by many Perfons for an uncontroverted Truth, that there is a Wife, Mighty, and Merciful Creator of the Univerfe, who can render all thofe that endeavour to know, ferve, and honour Him, Happy both now and for ever; and thofe that deny or defpife Him, Miferable to all Eterni- ty : I fay, that Man muft be in a very defperate Mind, if he does not think it to be of the utmoft Importance to enquire into the Force of fuch a Proof, upon which fo many wife Men, living and dying, do entirely depend. Sect. VIII. The Tranfition to the folio-wing Contemplations. I H o p E then, that among thefe unhappy Men there may be fome found, who, in order to free themfelves from thefe fad Uncertainties (for no Atheifl ever had any Certainty of his wretched Notions) will think it worth their Pains, ferioufly to weigh the Arguments that may contribute thereto; and we befeech fuch to pafs on along with us to the followinfiContemplations ; and perhaps the Great God of Heaven and Earth may vouchfafe (as we hear- tily beg of Him for their Sakes) to open their Eyes, to the End that they may fee, and be fully convinced of the unexpreifible amiable Perfedions of his glo- rious Works. CON XT_ The Religious Thilofopher. CONTEMPLATION II. of all that is 'Fifihle^ and ofOurfetVes in particular. Sect. I. It is necejfary to call upon GOD at the Beginning. EFORE we come to the Thing it felf, and from the vifible Part of _^,_^ the World endeavour to fliew, that iw the Strufture thereof, the Wif- dom, Power and Goodnefs of the Great Creator fhines out with more Bright- nefs and Luflre, than to admit of a Comparifon between any of his Works and thofe of the moft skilful Artificer that ever was: Let it not feem ftrange to any one, that in this Enquiry, which perhaps may be thought purely Na- tural, we affirm it to be abfolutely Neceflacy, firft of all to implore the Great Creator and Governor of all Things, with the deeped Humility, that He would be pleafed to enlighten our Underftanding (which in it felf is fo dim) that we may view and comprehend the Beauties and Wonders of his Works ,• and farther, that thro^ his Goodnefs, He would vouchfafe to purify our Hearts from all contradiding Paffions and unreafonable Notions refulting from thence,- fince it is not unknown to any one who has obtained this Grace, that He can, as it were, feel and difcover, in innumerable Things, with an entire Convidion of his Confcience, the adoreable Maker of them; that many Things have often prefented themfelves to his Mind formerly, and have beea rightly underftood and comprehended by him, without once exciting him to look up to the firft and chief Caufe thereof : So that it plainly appears from hence, that neither the Peneration of his Judgment, nor the Things them- felves, are fufficie^ t to lead him to a right Contemplation, without !ome far- ther AlTrftance f- • udes them. And in cafe an Atheift (hould only confider thefe Conviaions as Hiftorical Truths, yet at leaft he muft acknowledge^ that in a Matter of fo great Importance, and upon which his everlafting Hap- pinefs or Mifery depends, it would do him no Harm, according to his own Principles, if, like the Athenians, he Ihould invoke the Affiftance of a GOD^ as yet unknown to him. Sect. H. GOD*s Eternal Exifience proved from the Creatures. No w to proceed to our intended Work : Since our Defign is rather to Of-* » fer or Propofe the Proofs of the Perfeftions of G o d, that is to fay, of his Wifdom, Poiver, and Goodnefs^ by way of Conviaion to unhappy Atheip, and doubting Minds, than to provQ his Eternal Exijimce, that being not denied by any Athei/is who own an Eternal Being, as far as I know; yet if there be any among them fo blind, as flill to doubt whether this alfo can be dcmon- flrated S The Religious Thihfopher. llrated from his Works, we fliall likewife endeavour to give them full Satis- tadion iierein, and to produce unaafwerable Proofs thereof in this very Place, before we proceed to the other. Let tlie Atheifi then ask himfelf, upon the Suppofition that there was no Eternal Being, that is, in cafe there ever was a compleat Nothings when there was neither Creator nor Creature, nor any thing whatever that had an Exigence, whether he mufl not be convinced, that in all Eternity the fmalleft Thing whatever could not come to Exifl,- and that fuch a Nothing muft re- main and continue to infinite Ages a meer and fimple Nothing! So that not only from thefe vaflly extended Heavens, and their unfpeakable great Lights and Bodies, but even from the moft tender Leaf or Grafs, from the moft contemptible Stone we tread upon, and from the fmalleft Grain of Sand, this Aflertion can be irrefragably maintained ,• fince if ever there was a compleat Nothings the very meaneft of all thefe could never have been produced, or made to Exift in an Infinity of Ages. Sect. III. The fame proved from Komznsi. 20. After the fame Manner we fee the Apoftle Paul proving God*s Eternal Power, whereby He Exifls of himfelf from all Ages, and his Divinity , where- by He is diftinguifhed from all Creatures that have had a Beginning ; and thus fpeaking in his Epiftle to the Romans, Ch. i. v. 20. The invifible Things oj him from the Creation oj the World are clearly feen, being tinder flood by the Things that are made, even his Eternal Power and Godhead ', fo that they are without Ex- cufe: And fliewing likewife, that in naming the Creatures in general, he ex- cepts nothing out of 'em, how fmall foever it may be, which by its Exiftencc is not capable of convincing, with the utmoft Certainty, every one that has not quite loft the Ufe of his Reafon, of G o d*s Eternal Power and Divinity, that is, among other Things, of his Eternal Exifieme. Sect. IV. The Contemplation oj Ourfehes in general. Now as this Contemplation of all Creatures in general, after the afore- faid Manner, is a Teftimony to every Man's Confcience, that there is an E- ternal God; fo likewife will every Man that only views the Frame and Con- ftruftion ofhimfdf, (and confiders who he is, and whereof he confifts; how ■ he is come into this World and fupported therein,) from thence be convinced of the Wifdom, Power, and Goodnefs of fuch a God, without hardly con- fidering any other Particulars, tho' we hope alfo to Account for them here- after. He, therefore, who has hitherto denied or doubted of fo weighty a Truth, let him turn his Eyes and Thoughts firft upon himfelf only, when he cannot but confefs, that he has a Body, of which, being in Health, he is capable to move feme Parts, fuch as the Hands, Feet, Eyes, &c, arbitrarily, and according to his own Pleafure ; and again (which is very remarkable) that his Will has little or no Influence or Power over other Parts; thus his Heart beats, his Blood circulates, his Stomach and Bowels are moved ; the Humours and Fluids, which compofe fo great a Part of his Body, produce feveral EfFeds in The Religious Philojopher. 9 in him, without his being able either immediately to hinder or promote their Operation : Moreover, he finds that he Underftands, Wills, Reafons, Loves, Hates, Fears, Hopes, and (in one Word, that Philofophecs com- monly make ufe of to Sum up the whole^ that he Thinks. Sect. V. The Contemplation of our Body, •which is Earth. Now upon enquiring firfl into our Body, we are convinced by certain Experience, that the fame confiftsof the Food we ufe, fuch as Herbs, Fruits, Corn, Flefh, Fifh, Water, and the like. The Beai^s have likewife their Food ; and tho' thefe eat one another, yet the Food of moft ot them con- fifts of Plants and Water; for as for Foffils, Metals, and fuch like, we do not yet know chat they ferve for Food to any Creatures i and tho' they fhould, yet the following Proof will remain in its full Force. Now all thefe Plants fpring out of the Earth, and being fown, feem to draw their whole Subftance from Earth and Water, excepting only what Air, Light, or fuch like Matter, may contribute thereto ; which Mixture of all together, becaufe we meet with it in all fruitful Soils, we fhall here- after, for brevity fake, call by the common Name of Earth. From whence then a Man mufl finally conclude, that the Matter whereof his Body confifts, is nothing but the Water he ufes in his Drink, together with an altered and difguifed Earth, which firfl becomes Plants, and after- wards is turned into the Subflance of his Body. Now if all this does not appear clearly enough to him, let him fuppofe the Perfon of a Man, who having been before very Fat and Heavy, has lofl fome Pounds of Fat by Sicknefs ; if fuch a Man being reflored to his Health, and ufing no other Food than Bread and Water, fhould again attain to his firil Weight, whence proceeds this his new Flefh, but from the aforefaid Bread and Water ? But more efpecially, if he confiders the Smallnefs of his Body in the very beginning, which when his Mother firfl conceived him, was fcarce of the Weight of half an Ounce, tho' the fame Body afterwards, firfl by the Nourifhment it received from the Mother, and afterwards what it took in it felf (both which, with refpeft to the Matter of it, can be cal- led nothing but Earth) grows up to' a Man of To many Pounds weight ; and will he then flill doubt, fince all this Nourifhment confiiis of Water and Earth only, whether his whole Body, in its utmofl extent, is any thing elfe but a Metamorphofed Earth > Sect. VL That the Body does not thinK Having now difcover'd thefe Things concerning his Body (that we may advance a little farther) let him fuppofe himfelf fitting with another Perfon at Dinner, could he think that the Bread, Flefli, Fi(h, Beer, Wine, &c. that are eaten and, drunk, fhould firfl become Nourifhment, and afterwards being turned into his Body (or rather, that a quantity of Earth, from whence this Nourifhment proceeds) has the Capacity to judge of, and to underfland his, or another Man's Difcourfe; cr can comprehend the Demonflration of a Propofition in Euclid? or let him confider, whether a skilful Chymift and Philo" 20 The Religious Thilofopher. Philofopher could ever jiiftly fancy to himfelf, that he was able to produce" out of fuch Food or Nourifhment, a folid or fluid Body (befides which two no third can be fliewn^ that can Think, Reafon, and Difcourfe like a Man ? Now I cannot bring my felf to -fuch a Belief, that there ever was any Man, who defired to pa fs for a Perfon of the leaft Senfe, capable of advancir^g fuch Notions, and intrenching himfelf in the fame, againll an approaching Eternity. Sect, VII. The Soul demonfirated. Al Lathis being duly weighed, can a Man make any other fort of Con- clufion, than that his Food, confifling of Earth and Water, is the Subftance of his Body ; and that nothing of thofe, or of any thing elfe produced by thofe, (nor confequently his Body) is capable of Underflandwg^ Renfoningy or thinking. And yet he is aflured, and plainly convinced, that he both Underfiands^Rea- fonsy and 'Thinks : This therefore is an irrefragable Proof that there is fome- thing elfe in him befides his Body, which hnderflands, Reafons and Thinks ; fo that he does thereby know fo much of himfelt, as that he is compofed of two diftinft Subftances, 'viz.. of a Body which is Earth, and of Tome other Thing befides his Body, which other Thing Underflands^ Reafons, and Thinks : This laft is called the Soul ; and therefore he knows that he does confift of a Body and Soul. Sect. VIII. No Man proceeds from himfelf ^ nor from his Taverns , but from another. Being come thus far, and knowing what he is, let z Sceptick, or an A- theifl, go a little farther with us, and endeavour to find out how he came in- to this World, and how he is herefupported. And that he may bring himfelf to confider the fame experimentally, let him examine himfelf, and fee, if it was in his Choice or Power to be here or not, whether he would choofe to be formed Sick or Healthy, Blind or Seeing, Streight or Crooked : To all which, without doubt, he will anfwer, that he would rather be form'd with the good Qualities. On the contra- ry, let him by his own Experience enqtiire, whether he be not placed here without the lead AA or Concurrence of himfelf, and entirely without his own Knowledge in the Condition wherein he finds himfelf, and wholly un- capable of beftowing on himfelf more or fewer Advantages of Nature : Confequently then, he muft be convinced that he does not proceed fiom him- felf, but from another. But fuppofing it fhould be objed-fd by fome body (who being wavering and full of Doubts, and unwilling to confent to what has been here advan- ced, leaft he fhould be forced to acknowledge a God) that his Parents were, by way of Procreation., the firfi: Caufes of his Exiftence in this World ; which at firft fight carries fomething fpecious with it : yet if he wili be pleafed to penetrate farther into the Matter, he cannot refufe believing, that his Parents, as well as others, owe their beginning to that defire ofpropa- 3 gafii"'g The Religious Vhilojopher. i r gating their Species, which is naturally iinplar4:ed in all Creatures ] without any Certainty at the fame time, or Thought of iv»e Confequences of^'^^bek aa A^ : And muft he not, moreover, confefs, that nc>«ie of 'em all were ca- pable of knowing or faying whether it fhould be a Man or Woman, a de-- formed or well-lhaped Child that was to be produced ? Yea, after the Birth, does it clearly appear to either of the Parents, how the Body of fuch a Child is framed, with refped to its Veins, Nerves, Flefli, Bones, Humours, and other Parts ? Now if all this be brought to pafs without the Knowledge of the Pa- rents; if they be entirely ignorant of the Compofition or Strudure of their Child, how can he look upon them as the true Caufe of his Being and Sub- fifting ? Can one juftly hold that Perfon for the Artificer, or the real Caufe of any Machine, who is forced to own that he does not know any thing of the Conflrudion, nor how it came to be fo made ? and yet more, who did not fo much as know even whether it was made by him, tho' he did all that lay in his Power towards the Produdion of it ? And (ince he cannot judge that his Parents have contributed more to him than others do to their Children, muft he not own, that it follows from thence, that he is placed here entirely without his own Concurrence, and without being able to prove that his Parents are any thing elfe but unknow- ing, and confequently no true, but at the moft, inftrumental Caufes only of his Exiftence? Moreover, to the end that we may obviate all Evafions, and demonflrate undeniably that he cannot be produced by his Parents as true Caufes, let him recoiled, that befides his Body, there is a Soul, of which he confifts, which has been already fhewn to be entirely different from his Body : Now ail that could happen towards his Produftion en the part of his Parents, feem only to have refpeft to his Body, and confifts in nothing more than in the Communication of the Semen Corporeum, which likewife has its Original from Food and Nourifliment ; and therefore, according to what has been proved above, is nothing eTe but Metamorphofed Earth and Water. Now this Earth and Water, or any thing elfe th:.t proceeds from them, does neither Underftand nor Think, and yet he himfelf does both ; for which Reafon he ought certainly to be convinced, that he, as a Man, that is to fay, as an In- telligent, Rational, and Thinking Creature, can by no means owe his Being to his Parents- and fince he cannot be the Caufe of himfelf neither, he muft therefore, as well as all his Forefathers, have been brought into the World by fome other Being. I have here in the Beginning, that I might not feem to argue too acutely, pafled over thofe Modern Obfervations, by which it is pretended, that the Humane Body draws its Origin from a Stamen, or Fundamental Principle, in which the Members are rolled up as in a Clew or Ball of Thread ; which afterwards, by the Help of Nourifliment, is filled up and unfolded to a Vi- able Body. The Reafon is, becaufe the Proof which we have herein Vkw;' would ftill remain of the fame Force. Firfi, Since this Stamen, how fmall foever it may be, whilft it continues unfolded, is neverthelefs a real Corpo- G reai 1 2 The Religious Thilojopher. real Subftance. Secondly, Becaufe it is not yet proved, that this Stamen does not proceed from the Fluids of the Father or Mother, or ot both, and there- fore does likewife confift of difguifed Earth. Thirdly, By what Caufe foever this Stamen is produced, it cannot be denied, that when t is quite unfold- ed into a Vifible Body, it is neverthelefs a Corporeal Subftance, and fo re- mains. Now that fuch a Subftance can Difcourfe or Think, no Body that would pafs for a Wife Man will rafhly affirm ; nor do 1 believe neither, that there was ever any one found who would perfiit in this Notion, That we ought to afcribe the true and real Caufe of the Formation of our own 5"?^- wen, or of any other Humane Body, to our own Knowledge, or to that of our Parents: Whoever, therefore, docs any Thing i^gnorantly and unknow- ingly, cannot, as we have faid before, be confider'd any otherwife than as the inftrumental, but by no Means the true Caufe of any Effed ; from whence it follows. That the Conclufion muft remain as it did j namely, that neither our Parents, nor we our felves, are the true Caufes of our Exifting here. Sect. IX. 7hat our Support is from Another. Now after the above-mention'd Difcoveries, it may eafily be made ap- pear to every Man, that as he is not placed here by his own Power, fo nei- ther is he fupported by the fame : For if he were, he might at leaft pro- vide Food and Nourilhment forhimfelfj but can he make the Sun to Rife, which caufes every Thing to fpring out of the Earth ? Can he bring down a Drop of Rain from Heaven, which renders the Ground fo Fruithil, and which likewife muft ferve him for Drink? Can he communicate an Exiftence, and the neceflary Properties to one (ingle Ear of Corn, or to the fmalleft Blade of Grafs, in order to feed himfelf, and thofe Creatures which he ufes for his Nouriftiment ? But to go yet farther, fuppofing he had Food in abundance, can he tell after what manner his Body is thereby fupported ? Or does he know where that which refrefties his Body remains, as foon as it has pafted thro' his Stomach and Bowels, and how his Food is turned into Blood and other Juices, and how they again are converted into fuch diffe- rent Parts of which his Body confifts ? So that here again he can conclude no otherwife, than that all this furpafles his Power> and that it is nor by himfelf, but by fome other Being, that he exifts and is upholden. S E c T. X. And this other Being, either knows ^ or is ignorant of what he doeth. Now being thus far aft*ured, from what has been faid, that a Man is not produced by himfelf nor by his Parents, but by fome other Being, by which he is likewife fupported, I leave anyone to judge, whether he can live in a perfeft Tranquility, without endeavouring to know what kmd of Beins it is by which he is Made and Supported ; fince I cannot thmkthac he is fo infenfible, or fo little affeded concerning thofe Things that relate to. his own Happinefs or Mifery, as not to.look upon this to be an Affair of the iitmoft-InaporrancCo . - . . If The Religious Thilofopher, tg - If then he will endeavour with us to enquire into thefe Matters, he muft at lead acknowledge for an undeniable Truth, that the Caufe by which he is here placed and fupporced, does either know and underftand its own Adi- OBVS, or elfe is entirely ignorant of them ; that is, he muft either agree with the wifeft part of the World, that there is a G o d by whom he is made and fupported, who knows what he did, and what he daily does, with refpe<5t to him ,• or elfe he muft endeavour to perfwade himfelf, purfuant to thofe Principles of unhappy Ache/fls (which have never yet been demonftrated) that he was brought into the World by a meer and ignorant Chance, or by a ne- ■ceffary Confequence of the Laws of an unknowing Nature : One oi thefe muft be undoubtedly true. Sect. XI. T'hat our Maker and Prefewer is Wife, Mighty and Merciful. ■ Now in order ferioufly, and without Paflion or Prejudice, to confider fo important a Matter, and to know which of thefe two Queftions are to be received for Truth ; let him fuppofe, that he were to be brought into a Room, where he ftiould fee feveral Clocks and Watches that have been ad- jufted with all the Skill and Perfedion the Artificer could exert, fo that they went very True and Regular ; and then let him ask himfelf, whether he thinks thofe Machines could acquire their Exiftence and Aptnefs to perform their feveral Fundions, without the Concurrence of the Skill and Judgment of a V^orkman, and only by Caufes that were ignorant of the Efteds they produced, fuch as meer Chance, or necefliry Laws of Nature? and whether he would not judge that any Man, who fhould undertake to deduce fuch Conclufions from his own Philofophy, Were not quite out of his Senfes ? After having maturely confider'd all this^ let him proceed farther, andin- fteadof Clocks, let him caft his Eyes upon the Frame and Conftrudion of his own Body, or upon that of Beafts, Birds, Fifties, Plants, and othec Wonders of Nature, and think, fince a good Clock does undoubtedly prove its Workman skilful, whether in each of thefe laft mentioned Things there does not appear an Art incomparably greater than that which ftiews it felf in the very'beft Clocks ? forafmuch as it is moft certainly true, that the beft Artificer in the whole World, is not capable of producing even a Moufe or 2, Fly, a little Flower or a Plant, tho' never fo fmall, in fuch a Perfedion as we fee them daily appearing. Let him therefore {ilently examine himfelf, whether ail his Atheiftical Arguments can bring him to embrace thefe mife- rable Notjons for Truth with Tranquility, and without a continual Remorfe of Confcience, ijiz,. that he who made his Body, and all thefe Things after fo wonderful a Manner, and out of fuch improper Matter as the Earth ap- pears to be for fuch a Purpofe, ftiould be fo far void of Wifdom and Un- derftanding, as not to know- after what Manner, nor to what End, he had made the fame ? Now fince an unhappy Atheifi feems to be unavoidably obliged by all thefe Things, to acknowledge that his Creator is wonderfully Wife ; fince,, more- over, the Manner whereby he is preferv*d, feems to convince him, that this his Preferver is not only Wife, but alfo Mighty and Merciful ; having moft G 2 • boun 1 4 The Religious Thilofopher. bountifully provided fuch a great Body as the Sun to give him Light, the Air furrounding this whole Earth for Refpiration, fo great a quantity of Water to aflwage his Thirft, fuch a number of Plants and living Creatures to fatisfy his Hunger, and to refrefh him, and fo many other Things for other Ufes, without any Co operation on his Part, and fuch wonderful Faculties for the Enjoyment of them all : Let him finally confider with himfelf, what he ought to expeft, even in his own Judgment^ from the juft Wrath of this his Maker and Preferver, in cafe he continues to deny his Wifdom, to defpife his Power, and to be ungrateful for his Mercies, and in order to free himfelf from the Obligations he lies under to Providence for all thefe good Things, if he con- litHies to afcribe them all entirely to infenfible and ignorant Caufes. Sect. XII. 'The'tranjition to the following Contemplations. I CAN fcarce chink it poflible, that there fliould ftill be znAtheifl fo deplo- rably obdurate, after having weighed all thefe Things mofl ferioully by him- felf, as to dare to own, that the Confideration thereof does not make him uneafie; and in cafe there fliould be any that had fo far abandoned themfelves ro their fediicing Paffions, yet it is not to be imagined, that all of 'em have fo greatly renounced their Reafon, as not to think it worth their while to pafs on with us to the Contemplation of the Works of the Great Creator in the following Difcourfes ; or that among fo many Particulars and Wonders, which they will there meet with, there fhould not be one fingle one fufficient to make them fee their Error, and to give them a convincing Proof of a Deity tfhining out fo brightly from thence. This I can fay experimentally, that by the Meditation chiefly of what has been here offer'd in thefe two firft Con- templations, an unhappy Perfon, whom I had formerly often befought, while fie was in good Health, that he would feriouOy weigh thefe Things by him- felf (and who was wont, even till a few Weeks before his Death, where-ever he could fpeak his Mind freely, to ridicule all fuch as acknowledged and ferved a Go d) was by God's Grace brought over to better Thoughts, and to a Conviftion of his Exiftence, as he confelTed to me with his own Mouth ill his laft Illnefs. CONTEMPLATION III. of fome particulars in the Mouth. II . . . _!. - - - ■ Section !• Concerning the Teeth, TO begin then ; let us firft contemplate our own Body, and all the won- derful Strudure thereof; which, tho' the mofl part of our Food, as Bread, Flefli, Fifh, &c, confifls of folid Bodies, cannot be nouriffied by them fo long as they remain fuch, and are not firft converted into Fluids ^ wherefore "' / " ' a Means The Religious Thilofopher. " i ^ a Means was requifite to turn thefe folid Bodies into a liquid Matter, and evea fuch as fiiOLild be proper to fupport and nourifh us. For this Purpofe there are Teeth planted in our Mouths, of which thofe that ftand foremoft are fharp and cutting, in order to bite off a Part of that Food which is taken in, whofe Semicircular Figure is wifely adapted to a juft Meafure of the Piece to be bitten, and fo as to be afterwards chewed with the mod Conveniency, as every one may experience who makes his Bi- ting greater or fmaller : The fecond Sore are thofe that are called Dog-Teeth^ and thofe are more pointed than cutting, and feem to be parciculavly de- figned for fomething that is tougher and harder, and which cannot eafily be penetrated by the former, in order to hold it faft, and fo to divide it from the other Part. Does there not appear a wife End in ail this ? Why are not the following Teeth, which are call'd Grinders, of the fame Figure ? Why are they flat and broad, and uneven, with Cavities and Protuberances, as if Nature intended, that what was bitten off by the foremoft, fliould be beaten fmall and ground by thefe latter, to which their Unevennefs contributes, as it is in fome Mill- Stones that are made uneven on purpofe, in order to grind the better ? If this is done by Chance, why don't the Grinders fland foremoft, and the Fore- Teeth in the inward Part of the Mouth, which would certainly render Biting and Chewing very uneafie ? How happens it, that almoft all the other Bones are clad with a tender and fenfible Membrane ; but the Teeth, fo far as they ftand out of the Gums, with none,- unlefs it were to avoid that Pain, which the Ufe of 'em in Biting, would occafion, by preffing upon fuch a Mem- brane ? Sect. II. Of the Enamel of the Teeth. Can any one fuppofe, that it is without Wifdom and Defign (fince the naked Bone can rarely endure the Air without Corruption, and the Covering it with a Membrane would be here ufelefs and inconvenient) that the Teeth are furrounded with a hard Subftance, which the Author of the Hifiory of the French Academy of Sciences ^ for the Year i6pp, p. 48, calls the Enamel; where- with they are, as it were, glazed round about, fo far as they are expofed to the open Air ; and which, as foon as they lofe, they rot and are corrupted. In Tab. I. Fig. I. you may fee a Reprefentation thereof: The Line A C F H is that Part of the Gums out of which the Teeth appears; AEC and F G H are the Roots of the Teeth ; The Parts A D C B and F L H 1 1 Ihew the Enamel or Glazing, which confifts of fmall Fibres running parallel to each other, that join fometimes at the Top, but below are feparated from €ach other : This Enamel covers the whole Tooth as far as it ftands out of: the Gums : MM are the little Holes thorough which the Nerves pafs into the Root of the Teeth of young People, but are clofed in Old, as in N N ; k>y which Means this Part of the Nerves, which are otherwife in the Teeth, is feparated from the remaining Nerves. The 1 6 Th^ Religious ^^hilqfopher. The Bone of a Tooth is remarkably harder than,all other Bones, and is therefore thought by fome to be of a petrified SLibft^pce, to the End that it «iight not become ufelefsby Attrition : And whereas other Bones ceafe grow- ing after a certain Age^ the Xeeth^ or at lead their Enamel, jncreafes even to old Age, in order to make good the continual Wearing of 'em ; this ap- pears when we lofe a Tooth out of one of the Jaw-Bones, that which is op- pofite to it in the other becoming oftentimes longer than thofs which are next to it. Sect. III. Of the Lips. To fay no more of other Ufes of the Teeth' with rerpe(5l to the Beauty of 4the Countenance, and particularly for Speech, which by their Means becomes Intelligible, eafie and diftind:. Who can confider the Strudure of the'^lS.;/'! without Aftonilhment, and their Motion in -fuch various Manners? The Opening of them for the Reception of Food ; 'the Clofing of them again to prevent the fame Food, whilft it is chewed, from falling out of the Mouth; the Ufe of 'em in Humane Speech ; by thcfe the Children fuck their Mother : And thefe, together with the Tongue and Cheeks, are ufeful in chewing the Food, which not being able to remain under the Jaws and Teeth, is by them, at every Turn, brought back again, till it becomes fmall, and iufficiently moiftened by the Spittle. S EC T. IV. Of the Glands of the Mouth. Is it not likewife by a wife Contrivance, and not by meer Chance, that there are in the Mouth fo many Glands or Fountains of Spittle? Since if the Food fhould remain dry, it could not be [wallowed down, but with a great deal of Trouble; whereas the Moifture that proceeds from them, by innu- merable Orifices, is mingled with the Food whilft it is chewed ; and this Liquor, or Moifture, is brought thither by long Veflels, and diftant Glands, not only to the aforefaid End, but (which is more) to give an Occalion for the more eafie converting the folid Food, wherewith it is mixed in the Mouth into a nutritious Liquid Subltance in the Stomach. We (hall not here mention the Property of Spittle in caufing many Things to ferment, or its other Qualities, which may be found in the Writings of thofe who have enquired into them, becaufe we will not dwell too long upon this Subje^. Sect. V. Of the Tongue. Bepore we take our Leave of the Mouth, I cannot forbear obferving fomething more therein, which every one th^t fees the Effeds of it, muft needs be aftonifhed at : This is the wonderful Strudure of the Tongue ; and here 1 would freely ask all the Artificers in the World, whether any of them could have invented fuch a Machine, which having neicher Bones nor Joynts, can produce fuch an innumerable Variety of Motions; fometimes malting it felf long and thin, at other times fhort and thick ; and in a Minute fiirring and turning it felf after fo many particular Ways, that one can fcarce fancy iny kind of Motion of which it is not fufceptible. ^ Can :The Religious Thilofopher. i j Can any Body think that there is neither Underftanding nor Wifdom made ufe of here by Him who has formed fuch a wonderful Body, only by the knitting together of fome Mufcular Fibres (if we except fome- Glands, the Ufe of- which is to moiften it, as it becomes dry) and fix it in ^ Place where all thefe Motions may have their Ufe? This Tongue lies in the Mouth, where the Sound that comes out of the Wind-Pipepafies thro'j and which, by the Motion of the Tongue, becomes diftin(5t ; and fo forming all Speeches and Languages, produces this great Wonder, that a Man, by the Motion of fuch an Inftrument, can communi- cate the Thoughts of his Soul to another ; whereas, if it were otherwife placed, or if it were not of fuch a Texture and Property, the whole World would be brought into Confulion : This may be obfervM in thofe, who by Deafnefs or other Accidents have the Misfortune of not being able to ufe their Tongue, how great is the Trouble and Difficulty they find in exprefTmg their Thoughts to other Men ? In fhort, every one may eafily reprefent to himfelf what a Diforder it would be, fuppofing all Men dumb, if we were obliged to make ufe of other Signs and Tokens, in order to carry on any Com- merce or other Bufinefs with one another; not to mention the Prejudice which the Teaching of all Sciences, and in a manner every thing that paffes among Men, would fufFer thereby. The Tongue does alfo lie upon that Place thro' which the Meat and Drink pafles ; and befides its other Faculties, is a principal Inftrument of Tafl. If it had not this Property, how many People would eat: without any Pieafure or Satisfadion ? Nay, fo neceflary a Work would be very tedious and irkfome to many. Not to mention here exprefly that Service and Ufe of the Tongue which preferves all Men alive, 'viz,, by thrufling the Food, after it has been chewed in the Mouth, down the Throaty without which we fiiould not be able to fwallow at all, or at leafl but with great Difficulty; the Inconveniencies of which, all fuch as have lofl this Faculty by Swellings in thofe Parts, are very feniible of. _ - -^ Sect. VI. Of the Throat. Now if we pafs on to the Throat, whither the Food leads us from the Mouth and Tongue, and if we confider the Strudure thereof; can any one imagine that it was fo contrived without any Wifdom, that the Cefopharns or Opening of the Throat, is dilated by three Pair of different Mufcles (K-e lab. I. Fig. 2. B B, C C, D DJ like a Bag by fix Hands, to the End that the Food, which the Tongue drives thitherwards, may be fwallowed, and ds- fcend without any Trouble ,• being drawn up fo much higher backwards bv the Mufcles D D, that the Food pafling over the lower Brim thereof 'and flrikmg againfl the hinder Part, fhould not fail to find the right Entrance of the Throat, which being compofed of a moifl Membrane, would clofe toge- ther, or at leall hinder the Swallowing, if thofe Mufcles were not plack there. u Sectj 1 8 The Religious Philofoj^herl m ^ Sect. VII. Of the Wind-Pipe. But herein appears yet more fenfibly the Defign and Wifdom of the Great Artificer, in ordering the Food to pafs over the Orifice of the Wind- pipe as it goes to the Throat: For if any Thing falls into the Wind- Pipe (which People commonly c3lI\ going the wrong Way) every one knows what Diforder it occafions in them, To great fometimes as to put them in danger of choaking ; wherefore it is abfolutely necelTary, if we would eat with Eafe, and preferve our Life at the fame time, that the Wind-pipe, or the Mouth of it, Ihould be clofed when we fwallow, and then immediately open'd again, in order to draw our Breath : Now can any Body be fo dull as not to obferve this determinate End and Defign of our Wife and Merci- ful Creator? Let him only take the Trouble of viewing the upper Part of the Wind-pipe of a Sheep or a Calf, where he will fee more plainly than can be fhewn him here by a Figure, that there lies a Cartilage, called the Epi- glottis^ which being preiTed down by the Food, when "tis fwallowed, covers the Orifice of the Wind-Pipe lying under it ; by which Means the Food paffing over it, as if it were a Bridge made for that Purpofe, in its Way to the Throat, is prevented from falling into the Wind-pipe, which would of- ten occafion Coughing, Straining, and other greater Inconveniencies. Now if this Cartilage fhould remain lying thus upon the Orifice of the Wind-pipe, the Breath would be flopt, and the living Creature immediate- ly fuffocated. Do we not here again difcover a wife Defign, that this Epi- glottis is fo contrived, as to rife up like a Spring that has been prefled down, or as fome fay, drawn up by Mufcular Fibres after the Food has pafl'ed over it ? By which Means the Paffage of the Breath is immediately open'd after (wallowing, in cafe the Elaflical Force of the faid Epiglottis Ihould be weaken'd by too much Ufe. Sect. VIII. ConviBims from ivhat has been faid above. Now let a Man confider all thefe Things together, as they appear in fo fmall a Place as the Cavity of the Mouth, and fee whether he can ftill fuppofe that all of them, fo manifold in Number, fo neceffary to our Life and Well-being, could have met together in fuch a narrow Circumference without any Defign of the Maker, and by meet Chance or ignorant Caufes ? Can he not clearly difcover therein a Wifdom, Power and Goodnefs, whieh contrived all this, in order to fupport this Part of the Humane Body, and to preferve it from fudden Death by Suffocation or Strangling ? And let any one fay, if he can, that in a Place not above a Span long, where fo many Difpoficionsof fo many different Things, for the attaining fuch weigh- ty Purpofes do appear^ that all this is brought about by Caufes ignorant of their own Work. Sect. IX. About Sucking, and of Places from which the Air is exhaufled. Before we conclude this Difcourfe, I muft add fomething, which as often as I confider it, does every time excite in me a new Affonifh- ment. AH The Religious "T^hilofopher, ip All the Learned World knows the juft Praifes that have been given to tiie famous 7crricelliy Gueric, Boyle, and others, who were the firft Inventors of the Art of producing a Vacuum, or Place void of Air, by the finking of Qiiick-Silver, or otherwifc by Air Pumps, whereby fo many Secrets of Na- ture have been difcover'd. And can we fee without ftandmg amazed at the All-comprehending VVifdom of our Great Creator, who has prepared and fitted the Mouth of all Men for an Inftrument to produce the fame Effedt ? The Adion which is called Sucking, is a plain Demonlfration thereof, and is performed by putting the Tongue and Lips together, or otherwife, only by leaving a little Cavity between them firil open, and afterwards drawing the Tongue backwards, which makes a Ho'lownefs that was not there before -between the Tongue and Lips, and confequently empties it of Air.; or otherwife, by drawing the 1 onguc back, makes the Cavity that was there larger, giving the Air that was in the Place more room, and fo ieffens the Prefllire and Refinance of it in that Place ; by which Means the Liquor (into which one End of a Pipe is put, and the other into the Cavity of the Mouth, which has been emptied of its Air) being prefled by the External Air, and finding in the Mouth little or no Refiftance, is forced up thither : The fame Efte<5t is feen in the Sucking up of Smoak by thofe that take To- bacco. Sect. X. Sucking, as performed ly Children. But that which ought to be not only furprifing, but aftonifhing to eve- ry Body, is, that this fo artful a Manner of producing a Vacuum is perform- ed by Children newly born, and even by all the moft irrational Creatures which, by Sucking their D#ams as foon as they come into the World are already taught to begin to fupport their own Lives. Can thefe know that the Air has an expanfive Faculty ? That it prefles all things with fo great a Weight ? That to caufe the Milk to come out of the Breaft with fuch a Prc(hire, there muft be a Vacuum, or Place void of Air, made before the Orifices of the Nipples ? That this Place muft be fo clofed on all vSides, that tho* the Air, in order to Refpiration, pafling thro' the Noftrils, can infinuateit felf by the fmalleff Opening, yet it muflbe prevented from com- ing into this Vacuum ; for in fuch a Cafe the Sucking, or the Flowing of the Milk, would ceafe: All which things muft be well obfervM by fuch as make Infiruments proper for Sucking, as they are exadly followed by Nature. Sect. XL ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. Now let the unhappy Patrons cf the defperate Sentiments of an Epicu- rus and Lucretius Ccnoudy confider thcfe things with us, and fee whether their Fundamental Principle can obtain here, viz.. That all things are pro- duced without a certain End or De(ign of the Creator, and that Men only finding "era fo prepared to their Hands, do make their Vk of them. Is it to be believed that this can happen with Children, and all other Creatures, as foon as they are born, which do not fo much as know that there is fuch a thing as Air, much kfs how to apply it: to this Purpofe } Can any Man, H endow'd 2C The Religious Vhilofopher. endow'd with Reafon, think, that the dulleft and moft ignorant of all liv- ing Creatures are immediately capable to apply fuch a Machine to its riehc Ufe ? Whereas Men of the greatefl Learning and Underftanding will readi- ly own how difficult it is at hrft for them to underftand and ufe the fame rightly ; every one can witnefs this the firfl time he takes an Air-Pump into his Hand. And to give a convincing Proof that the Inftruments made ufe of by Children and young Creatures in Sucking, are produced by infinite Wifdom for that Purpofe, we need only enquire into the wonderful Strudure of the Mufcles of the Lips and Tongue, and the flefhly Fibres of which they are compofed, and which are fo well defcrib'd by all Skilful Anatomifls. If we would allow Reafon to take place, we fliould be fufficiently fatisfied by this fingle Inftance ; that, becaufe that Paflage is ftopt in Sucking, which upon other occafions is prepared for the Air, the adorable Creator, and great Supporter of all things living, has fo difpofed the Noitrils, that' they may ferve for Breathing, during the Aftionof Sucking ; and fo this great Work fo neceffary to New-born Creatures, might not be obftruded at every turnt A Proof of this is feen i\\ Nurfes, who, when they have a mind that the Child fiiould leave off Sucking, ftop their Nofe with their Finger, i^y which Means their Breathing that way being hindered, they immediately quit the Breafl, that they may draw in the Air by their Mouths. CONTEMPLATION IV, of the TI?roat^ Stomachy and 'Boivch. Sect. I. Concerning the Throat. E T us now go on, and contemplate the Strudure and Fundion of the _j Throat, as it extends it felf from the Mouth to the Stomach. The Food being fufficiently chewed in the Mouth, and being conveyed in the Manner as has been before defcribed, into the Throat, thro' the Orifice or Opening thereof, {Tab. I. Fig. 2. E) if it were to defccnd by its Weight only, it would require a great deal of Time to pafs into the Sto- mach ; thro* this Tube, becaufe of its being membranous and moift ; fo that tiie Parts of it would flick together, efpecially, if any piece of Food, by its Largenefs and Solidity, lliould extend the Throat in its Defcent, and thereby contrad thofe Parts that are above and below the faid Food ; to fay nothing of the Throat of Beafls, which lies horizontally, or even af- cends when they feed upon the Ground j in fuch a Cafe, I fay, that which is /wallowed would not be able to proceed into the Stomach. Now-^ The Religious 'Philojopher, 2 r Now, to prevent all thefe Inconveniencies, it has plSrtied the Gracious Creator, to place there a Mufcle, A A, (which is here reprefenteci, tut: thro', and is by fome taken for two) the Fibres of which encompaffing the Throat, and contrading themfelves, do thereby fqueeze it, and fo force the Food to defcend ; for whatever the Caufe be, it is experimentally true, that all the Mufcles of the Body operate, by concrading or fiiottning their Fibres. Sect. II. The Strait and Circular Fibres of the 'Throat Can we further confider the wonderful Order in which this Tube \s fra- med, without acknowledging a Wifdom therein that intended the Protrufion of the Food into the Stomach ? Since the outwar.i Membrane E being ta- ken off and laid afide at a (which is to be underftood in all thofe Places where you meet with the Letter a in this Figure) the Mufcular Fibres F jQiew themfelves defcending perpendicularly, or lengthwife, according to the whole Extenfion of the Throat ; having others under them, as in G, which encompafs the Throat like Rings or Circles : Let us now imagine, that thefe two forts of Fibres, njiz,. thofe that run lengthwife at F, and the Circular at G, were contracted ; we fhould then perceive that thefe iaft Circular Fibres, fhortening themfelves behind and above the Part where the Food lies, pro- trude the fame downwards, after the fai e Manner as the Women that make Saufages are wont to do, by fqueezing the Matter with their Hand, in or- der to make the fame go forward into the Bag or Gut that is to contain it ; whilfl in the mean time, the long Fibres, by fhortening themfelves likewife, do widen the Place thro* which the Food is to pafs, to the End it may be the more eafily thruft down by the Contraction of the Circular Fibres. Now that this Motion and Progreffion of the Food towards the Stomach is perform'd by fuch a kind of Force, and not by its own Weight, is plain by Chiidrens fwallowing their Viftuals into the Stomach upwards when they ftand upon their Heads : Upon which Account every one of us is mod highly obliged to the Goodnefs of our Creator ; becaufe otherwife no body could take in any Food in the Pofture of lying down ; which how exceeding inconvenient it would be to Sick and Diilemper*d People, is not neceffary to be farther defcribed. Sect. III. Of other Tunides or Coats of the Throat. One Thing further feemed requifite towards rendering the Paflage of the Food yet more eafy, viz,. That the Tube above-mention'd, for the better performing its Funftion, fhould be kept conftantly moifl^ forafmuch as the Food being fometimes dry, its Motion and Defcent would be performed more flowly and with greater Trouble. Can we therefore difcover no Wifdom herein ; that in order to produce fuch an Efteft, the faid Throat has a Tunicle full of Blood- Veffels, that- is • of Veins and Arteries, (See Tab. I. Fig. 2. H) and yet another under that at I, which is called the Glandukus Tunick, becaufe it is full of little Glands, from whence a Liquor is feparated from the Arteries, which renders the H 2 under- 2 2 The Religious Philofopher. nnder-Iying K, called the Newous Coat, fmooch and flippery, that It may be fit for the laid Ufes? It ought likewife to be obferved here, that thefa Glands in this Coat or Tunicle are placed exactly between flefliy Fibres for this Reafon, that thereby they may be mote or lefs prefl'ed, in order to dif- charge their Moifture according as there is Occafion ; for which Caufe like- wife, this lall Tunicle Is endued with a fofc Woolineis on the infide, which in fome meafure is able to flop and hinder the Moifture from pafTing away till it has performed its Fundiion of making the Parts flippery : when there is too little of this Moifture, and the Throat is too dry, that which we call Thirft, fecnis to be produced, which is a natural Warning that Moifture is there v/aated. Sect. IV. ConviBiom from the foregoing Ohfervations, Now can any one imagine, that all this wonderful Strudure of the Parts of the Throat is produced by Chance, without any View or Refped to the Order and Uies for which they are defigned ? which befides thofe Artful la- ftruments for forcing the Food to defcend into the Stomach, befides the V^eins that feed it, and by the Moifture which \s feparated in the Glands, contribute to make it fmooth, has likewife in it felf the Property of warning us when we ought to moiftcn it, at fuch Times as its own Natural Juices are not fufficient to perform the fame, by reafon of the Drynefs of the Food, or other Accidents ; and if any Body does perfift in affirming, that all this is owing to Chance, why fliould he be afliamed to fay, that a Spout or Pipe by which the Rain-Water is conveyed from the Top of a Houfe into a Cifterti (which in Comparifon of the Strudure of the Throat, has nothing of Skill in it) was produced into that Place by meer Accident, and without any End or Defign ? Sect. V. Of the Stomach. Now in Cafe the Stomach D C D T, (Tab. I. Fig. 3.) were as narrow aa the Throat E A, or as the Inteftines G H H 1 1, both which make one and the fame continued Tube with the Stomach, and that the Food fhould pafs- thro' all of them with equal Force and Swifcnefs, it would not be poffiblc that the fame fhould be rightly prepared, or, as they call it, macerated and converted from a folid Body into a fluid' Matter proper for Noiiriffimcnr. And here again do we not fee plain Footfteps of a Wife End m contriving the Stomach to be fo much laifger and hollower, in order to contain at once all the Meat and Drink that is fent down into it? £nd befides, of fuch a- Strudure, as not to fuftcr the fame to pafs too foon thro' it, as it happens in all the other Parts of this great and long Tube ? Thus we fee, that the Food defcending from E A into the Stomach B, \s. Kinder'd from proceeding further, by Reafon that the extreme Part or End of the Stomach C, by which the Food \s to be difcharged, is fo much higher- than the Belly of it in which it lies; whereby it \s obliged to remain there for a while, ia order to be turned into a fort of Pap, which the Anatomifts call a Ch)Im The Religious Thihfopher. 23 Chjlin otChymus; or, as fome will have it, till the Qiifntefcence thereof be extraded. ^ And what I cannot pafs over here without a Note of Admiration iSy Tnat according to the Obfervations of that great Anatomift Ve;heyen, the difcharg- ing Part C is not raifed up to that heighth, but jull at the Time when the Stomach is full and extended, and fo is capable of hindering the Food from paffing too fwiftly thro' it ; whereas otherwife, when the Stomach is empty, it finks down much lower. Can any one fee this without difcovering the De- fign of the Great Creator, to continue the Food a fufficient Time in the Stomach? Sect. VI. The Fluids of the Stomach and Mufciilar Vahe. Now whether the Confumption of the Food happens after one or the other Manner, it was neceflary in both Cafes, that there fliould be more Moifture mixed with it in the Stomach, in order to put it into a Fermentation, or o- therwife to convert it into that fluid Matter called Chyle. Can it now be thought, that meer Chance produced fuch a vafl: Number of Arteries in the Stomach as you may fee at D D, dd-, and fuch a wonder- ful Number hkewife of Nerves, fpreading like fo many Branches out of E and F, which convey into it fuch a Moifture and Nervous Juice by the Glands that are placed on purpofe, that together with the Spittle which is mixed with the Food in Chewing, they may make a new Liquor proper for the At- trition or Breaking oi the Food ; and to the End that it may remain long enough therein, the extreme Part of the Stomach B, {lab I. Fig. 4.) is (hue up with a Mufcle, that encompafles and contrads the fame, and which there- fore cannot be opened but with a greater Force or Preffure ? Sect. VII. The Fibres of the Stomach. The Food having remained fome Hours in the Stomach, in order to its Change, muft afterwards purfue its way for the Nourifliment of the whole Body. Can any one then think that it happens without the efpecial VVifdom of God, that every Thing is found in the Stomach adapted in riie beft man- ner to promote this Purpofe? 1. By the infenfibly oblique Afcenfion from the Bottom of the Stomach to the Paffage C {Tab. I. Fig. 3.) in order to difcharge the fame: Whereas if this laft Orifice was of i\\t fame Strufture as that at A, thro*^ which the Food pafles into the Stomach, it is plain, that the Difcharge thereof could not be performed but with very great Trouble. 2. Add to this, that the external Fibres of the Stomach are extended length- wife in it, and being fliorten'd in their Operation, they likewife render the Stomach fo much fliorter ; and in order to exert themfelves with greatec Strength at both the Orifices A and C, as alfo at the Bottom of the Stomach, they become mufculous. 5. Moreover {Tab. I. Fig. 4.) other flronger Fibres D encompafs the Sto- mach annularly, and crofs the former, which being drawn together, make the Stomach narrower, 4,. Under ^^ The Religious Thihfopher, 4. Undei- thefe there lie yet another Row of Fibres (Tah. I. Fig. 5.) which run obliquely A, extending themfelves from the uppermolt Part of the Sto- mach to the Bottom thereof, drawing obliquely the End M towards the Be- ginning N. Now let any one fuppofe, that he held this Stomach C T full of a fluid Matter in his Hand, and that it was to continue in the fame Polition in rela- tion to the Heighth of its lower End C : Could he polTibly invent a better Way to difcharge the faid Matter by the Orifice C, as firft by clofing the Orifice A, and afterwards contrading the Stomach, by pinching it together length-wife from C to A ; by which Means the inclofed Matter being thruft againft the Left end of the Stomach T, muft neceffarily be forced out at the Right end where the Orifice C is. Now how particularly ferviceable the flrong Mufcular Fibres B (Tah. I. Fig. 5.) are thereto, is plain, fifi, becaufe they encompaffing the Left Orifice of the Stomach I, do (hut the fame exaftly at the Time when the Food is thruft out at the other Orifice K, to the End that the Chyle may not be dri- ven back again into the Throat thro' the Orifice I P. Secondly^ Becaufe thefe Fibres B running length-wife, are inferred in the right Paflage of the Sto- mach K, which when they become fliorter, they draw towards themfelves, and by this one A6tion do at the fame time contrad or fhorten the Stomach, from M to N, and whilft they fnut one Orifice I, they do in fome manner dilate the other K jinfomuch. that it is impofTible, when all thefe Fibres are contracted and perform their Fundion, but that the Chyle fliould be protruded by the Orifice KK. How comes it to pafs now, if all this be done by Chance, that thefe Fi- bres of the Stomach run, or are extended fo differently from thofe of the Throat, and thofe of the Bowels, which fhall be accounted for hereafter ? And whence comes it, that each of them is adapted, in the moft proper manner, to its right Ufe, and the Fundions that are required of it ? Can the wonderful Struftiire of the Fibres be deemed accidental ? Why don't they fay the fame of the Preparation of the Ropes that are ufed in the drawing up of a Rammer, in which, comparatively, there is very little Art. Sect. VIIL 7'he Mucilage, or Slime, of the Stomach. Besides ail this, there is often a Neceflity in fome Perfons, for an Acid Matter to compleat the Diffolution of fome kinds of Food ; of which Nature are alfo feveral Medicines, fuch as Vinegar, Verjuice, Lemon-Liquor, Mu- ftard, Pepper, Root, and almoft all Spices, all Salts, as well the Common as Volatile, and others, which are all acid, and neverthelefs very neceffary on fome Occafions. Now, forafmuch as the Stomach is membranous, and the Membranes thereof extreamly fenfible, there was danger, that by fuch fharp Matters^ it might either be affcfted with Pain, or elfe irritated to Vo- miting or other irregular Motions : Can we therefore here, without Thank- fulnefs and Afionifhment too, obferve how it has pleafed our Gracious Crea- tor wich great Wifdom to provide againft the fame, by cloathirg the inner- moft Part of the Stomach and Bowels with a thick and tough Slime, (where- by The Religious Thihjopher. 25 by they are defended from the Corrofion of thofe Iharp Matters) which is ftopt there, and adheres to fmall Fibres, that fland ftreight up on the fides of the Stomach, like the Silk Thread in Velvet, to prevent the faid Slime from being carried away immediately by the Food that pafies through the Stomach. Can any Body now, confidering what has been here faid about the Sto- mach, (tho' for Brevity fake I have defignedly omitted leveral remarkable Circumftances) remain unconvinced, that it was a Great Creator who, in order to difplay his Wifdora and Goodnefs to Mankind, has produc'd all this in fuch a beautiful Order ? And can he, without Scruple, afcribe this whole Strudure to Ignorant Caufes ; the rather, becanfe any one of thefc Circumftances failing, very difmal Confequences, and even Death it felf> would fometimes follow. Sect. IX. 0/ Hunger, To fay nothing more about the Stomach, which feems plainly to prove the Defign of Him that made it ,• are we not particularly obliged to return him our Thanks for having been pleafed, over and above, to add to the Stru- fture of the Stomach, befides fo many other neceffary \J{ts^ the following Property, -z/Zz,. Hunger^ by 'feeling which, we are acquainted, that we (land in need of new Food and Refrefhment, of which, without fuch a Warning, we fliould not be feniible oftentimes, till we become weak and faint, and unfit for Bufinefs for want of the fame ? He muft be miferably blind who cannot difcover a Wife and Gracious Ma- ker of all thefe things j or that can perfwade himfdf, that their skilful Stru- dure and fo many Conveniencies and regular and well adapted Ufes, can be produced by meer Chance or irrational Caufes. Sect. X. 7he Ufes of the Guts, L E T us now pafs on with the Food to the Bowels or Guts ; to know the Conftruftion of which, you may confider the Tube (Tal;. I. Fig. 2.) repre- fenting the Gullet and the Stomach as Parts of the Bowels to which they are annex'd, fince the Membranes and Tunicks thereof are for the moft pare analogous with thofe of the Guts, and fo are its Motions too, by which the Matter contained therein is protruded ; for which reafon we fnall not re- peat th? fame here. This Tube has the following great Ufes ; (Fig. 1.) Firft, that it feparates that which is proper for Nourifhment from the unnecefl'ary Parts, convevinp it to the Vena La^ea, or Milky Veins : Secondly, that it carries the R.e- mainder of the Food to the Intefiinum ReEiu??!, in order to be there dif- charged. Now to fpeak of this lafl: in the firfl: place, it will not be neceflfary to fay, after the Defcription of the Gullet and Stomach, that tWisis alfo performed both by the long and circular Fibres; which do likewife here produce, by contrading and (hortning themfelves, a Protrufive Motion, which is called by the Anatomifls, The Perijlahic Motion. s Sect. 2(5 The Religious Philofopher. Sect. XI. The Mefemery. You may fee Iiow thcTe Bowels are placed in the Body, in Tal.l. F/^-j, Kow in Cak this Tube of the Bowels was fliort, there wouid be danger that the Chyle, or Nourifliing Juice, extraded from the Food, might in a great .nieafure be difcharged with the ufelefsPart thereof. Is it therefore without a Defign of the Maker, that there are fo many Meanders or Windings there- iii ; fo that it is very near fix times the Length of a Man ? And particularly, that notwithftanding all its Turnings, it is faflenM in fuch a manner to the Mefemery, that it is not polTible for the Food, either to miflake its way, by reafon of the length of the Inteftines, or to take any fuch Turn, as that the Way thro' which the Chyle pafles fhould be ftopt ,• as may be feen in Tah.l. fib. 6. where G G reprefents the Mefentery, and L L the Bowels or Guts faften'd toit, but both extended. Now can any one fee without Aftonifhment, that in this Membrane (which being only flat and round, would be too big to lie conveniently in the Belly, in cafe it fliould be faften'd to fuch a great Length of the Bowels in its Circumference) fuch a wonderful Method is ufed by our mod wife Creator for that purpofe, 'viz.. by pleating it upwards and downwards upon the Edge of the Mefentery, juft as they ufed to do the Ruffs in old Times ? An Inftance of which may be feen in that Part of the Inteftines, defcribed by P Q, RS, {Jab.l. Fig 6.) and more fully in the 2 Fig. of the 18 Tab. of Verheyen^ in the ruffled Edge B B, of this expanded Mefentery ; to which, that we may not multiply the Figures too much, we refer thofe that are de- firous to fee it in its true State. It is by this means, that tho' the fame is not above two Spans Breadth in a Man of a middle Size, yet by thefe Pleats and Folds it acquires fo much Length, as to afford fufEcicnt room for the Tube of the Inteftines, which is (o much longer, to be faften'd to it. Now, in Cafe this Problem had been laid before a great and able Mathematician, would not he have thought that he had acquired no fmall Honour, by fol- ving it after this Manner? And can any Body fancy that this is performed by Chance, or without Wiftlom ? Sect. XII. The Glands of the Inteftines. Now whilft the Nutricious Juices are continually feparated from the Food in the Bowels, and by Openings, which are found in their Mem- branes, pafs into the External Parts, as we fhall (hew hereafter ; it feems as if it could not be avoided, that the Remainder being thereby become •dryer, fhould be hindered from proceeding conveniently on its way in this Tube : To remove this Difficulty, the adorable Creator has been pleafed to place feveral Glands in the Inteftines, from whence they filtrate a Liquor fufHcient to foften the Excrements, befides others proceeding out of the Glandulous Coat of the Bowels themfelves, which help to render the Paf- fage fmoorh and flippery, and fo fit for the intended Service. ^Can this llkewi'fe be faid to be done by Chance? Why then are thefe Glands fmaller and fewer in the thiii Guts G, H H, 1 1, (Tab. I. Fig. 3.) which The Religious Philojopher, 27 which lie next to the Stomach, where that which is in it has a great deal of Chyle and Moidure ? And why are thofe Glands multiplied about the End of thefe thin Guts, unlefs it were that the ufe:efs Matter, beinj^ by the Se- paration of the Chyle grown dryer, wants more Moifture to render it fo fluid ,• and to the End, that what flill remained in it of the Chyle, may be fqueez*d out of it,- after the Manner of the Apothecaries, who, in order to extrad the Juices from their Druggs when they are pretty dry, put fome Liquor in while they are pounding tliem ? Laftly, Why are thofe Glands in the thick Guts, M, N N N, O, that lie fartheil: from the Stomach, and where the Matter to be difcharged is m a manner diverted of all its Chylous Juice, the biggefl: of all ; unlefs it be, that the greateft Moifture is there re- quilite to prevent its being too hard ? r Sect. XIII. The iVrinkles, Valves^ ^w*^ Inteflinum Reftum. Now, not to mention the Wrinkles of the thin Guts; the ufe of which is to hinder the digeftcd Food, that has ftill fome Chyle in it, from paffing too fwiftly thro' thofe OriHces that are made to receive the Chyle, nor the great Vahe K, at the end of thofe thin Guts, whereby the Matter^ that is hardly now of any further Ufe, is hindred from going back : Why are the thick Inreflines larger, and furnifhed with fo many feparated Places; unlefs it be to coUeft the ufelefs Mitter therein, and to the End, that People may not be too frequently obliged to difcharge the fame ? Is it not therefore very plain, that the Inteftinum ReEiujn O P, is only con- trived for difcharging the abovefaid Matter ? Why does it defcend flreighc forwards, unlefs it were, that the Difcharge of the faid Matter fliould not fbe obflruded by unneceflary Windings and Turnings? Is all this made without fuch a Defign ? Why \s there a round contrading Mufcle P, which, like a Ring, pinches this Eowel at the end of it? Is it not to hinder an incefl'ant Protrufion of the Excrementitious Parts, by the continual Periflaltic Motion of the Inteflines ? And fince that in feveral Dif- charges, when the Matter is hard, the Inteji'mum Retium O P, is pre{fed and finks downwards, we may fee that the two Mufcles, Q_P, and Q^P, are placed there on purpofe tofecure it • for by their AfJiftance, the fhutt ng Mnfcle and the Inteflinurn Rethm are drawn back again after a difficult Dif- charge, and made toafcend by the fhortning their Fibres, Sect, XIV. 7he Ufes of the Oblique and Lateral Mufcles of the Belly. And forafmuch as the Protrufive Motion of the Bowels is not fometimes firong enough alone to difcharge the Excrementitious Matter • ought we not likewife herein to adore the exceeding great Wifdom of the Creator, who, befides the Diaphragm and Mefentery, has after fo wonderful a Manner made the whole Covering, or Tegument of the Belly, to be affilting there- to ; by which Means the Expulfive Force may be rendered incomparably greater, as often as there is any occafion for it ? In order thereto, People are wont, firft, ftrongly tod a v in their Breath ; by doir.g of which the Midriff lying juft above th; S.onrch, fo violently I prefles 28 The Religious Vhilofopber. prefTes upon all the Bowels, that unlefs they oppofe it on purpofe, the whole Belly rifeth therewith, to the End, that the Guts may be pieired more clofely together. Now lince the Bowels, thus prefs'd down by the Midriff, are torc'd to di- late themfelves outwardly in the Belly ; unlefs the extended Covering ot the i3elly did again contract it felt" by the Aftion of its Mufcles, and prefs the Bowels together with a ftrong Force, the Excrements cou'd not be protru- ded thro' the Intefimum RiBum : But (ince that Inceftine is open, and at the fame time the Bowels areprefs'd together from ail Parts,- the Matter con- tained in them, mufl be protruded thro' the Orifice of the faid ReBtim. Now, how wonderfully this Comprehenfive Force is produced by the Mufcles which compofe the Coverings of the Belly, is plain tothofe that are acquainted with the Strufture thereof. To give you fome Notion of it here, with only mentioning the ufual Co- verings which the Belly has in common with many other Parts j (Tal; II. Fig. 1.) A is the Cuticula or upper Skin, B the Cutis or Skin, C the Far, D the fleflily Tegument or Covering ; the External Parts thereof do con- fill, on both (ides, />/?, of the Mufcle G, the Fibres of which defcend o- bliquely from the Vertebra of the Loyns to the Linea Alba K K, which runs downwards from the Breaft-bone through the Navel L, to the Os Ftibis, and is of a Strong and Fibrous Strufture, in order to refiff the Force of the Muf- cles drawing againft one another on each fide : The Mufcle of the fame Name and Kind belonging to the other iide, is laid open at O, in order to ihew that which is under it. Secondly, we fee another Pair of Mufcles lying under the former, the Fibres of which running upwards obliquely from the Vertebra to the aforefaid Linea Alba K K, do crofs thofe of the firft Muf- cle ; as appears here at M, on the one fide, under a part of the firft Muf- cle,' which is turned up ; and on the other fide, at P, where it is fully fepa- rated. Thirdly, There are a Pair of Mufcles that lye underneath the fame, on the right fide at U, the Fibres of which are extended laterally or crofs, and not obliquely, from the PWtebra to the Linea Alba, or White-line K K : The tranfverfc Mufcle of the left Side is notvifible in this Figure, becaufe of the Mufcles that lie upon it, called the Lateral Let us now fuppofe, that thefe two lowed Lateial Mufcles V, do en- compafs the Belly quite round, and in that manner compofe a Cavity, which contains the Bowels ; and further, that all the Fibres of which they are made up, are fliortenM or contrafted : It is plain, that the Cavity has there- by a lefler Circumference, and confequently muft be narrower ; and fo the Bowels therein contained will be prefied together on all fides. But fince thofe Mufcles are not only ferviceable in the Evacuation of the Bowels, butlikewife of the Bladder, and even in the Labour of Child-bear- in" Women, to whom they are of the greatefl Ufe in that important Cafe ; it'was necelfary that this Preflfure fliould he performed with very great Force ; for which reafon the Wife Creator has placed another Pair of Mufcles (one of which is reprefented by M) upon the Lateral,^ the Fibres of which run- ning obliquely upwards, as is faid before, and ending in the Linea Alba K K, 2 when- The Religious Philqfopher. 29 when they operate and become fliorcer, do in like manner ilraiten the Belly ; but they do alfo at the fame time (as is well known to the Mathematicians) by their Obliquity extended upwards, as it were, draw down the whole Li- ma A'ba K K. Now to obviate the Inconveniencies that might proceed from hence, the Fibres of the Mafcles G, that lie upon thefe, do run with a quite contrary Obliquity downwards; whereby the Belly is not only flraightened with a new Force, but the Liuea AWa K K, is again drawn up- wards by this contrary Obliquity. Sect. XV. The Ufe of the Pyramidal Mufdes, Now it' each Pair of thefe laft oblique Mufcles operated with like Force upon the Linea Alba, and that the fame was drawn as much upwards by one Pair as downwards by the other, they v'oald balance one another; and this White-line K K, would remain in its Place, without moving one way or the other : But fince thefe laft and outmoft defcending Mufcles G, are much larger and flronger than thofe that lie under at M, it rauft follow, that whilll they operate together to difcharge the Belly, by this over-balance of Force, thefe Fibres or White- lines K K, will be conftantly drawn fomething upwards. Can it now be brought about by Chance, that we meet with a Pair of Mufcles S and T, under the Os Pubis (the laft of which, T, isfliewn fepa- rated, and hanging downwards out of its Place) which, from the Figure of them, are called Pyramidal, and whereof the Fibres do only run upwards along the White-lines to K, or about as high as the Navel ; fo that it is very plain to every Body, that being fhorter at S, and confequently their Fi- bres being drawn- downwards, the Lhiea Alba, to which the Fibres are faften*d, muft like wife follow downwards; and therefore thefe Pjr/^w/V/^/ Mufcles feem to be made ufe of as a Balance of the Force, by which the defcending Ob- lique Mufcles at G, do exceed the afcending Oblique ones at M ; and whereby, if not prevented by the Pyramidal, the Linea Alba would otherwife be mov'd upwards? This Opinion is confirmed ; forafmuch as in many Bo- dies there are found but one of thefe Pyramidal M-ukWs, and not always jafi: two, fince one that is big enough can anfwer the aforefaid Ufes : Nor yet are the fame neceflary, when the afcending and defcending Oblique Mufcles are of equal Strength, as has been fometimes obferved. Sect. XVI. The Vfe of the Right Mufcles. But befides all this, there feems ftill to remain the following Inconvc niency; that the Belly being ftreighten'd by thefe Mufcles with fo great Force only Side ways, the Inteftines would hereby be preifed as much up- wards as downwards, and would likewife be driven with too great Vio- lence upwards againft the Midriff ; fo that the flexible Strufture of the Car- tilages would be raifed upwards^ by which Means the Protrufive Faculty would be weaken'd. To prevent which, and that nothing fhould be defici- ent in this great Work, the Wifdom of the Sovereign Creator feems to have faften'd two other Mufcles, Q Q^Q, called the Right to the Os Pubis I » at go The Religious Thilojopher, at S, after fuch a manner, that their otiier Extrcmincs, Y Y, fliould be faft- en'd to and about the Breaft-bone ; whereby thcie being contradcd, or made Ihorter in their Fibres, draw the Ribs, wich their CariLagcs (which termi- nate in the Breaft-bone) downwards j and fo they do not oiily hold tall to the Places to which the Midr.ii'is fixr, but likewife hinder the fame trom bending upwards by the ftrong Prelllire or" the Bowels againll the Midrifi, when thcie Bowels are thruft upwards and downwards by the aforeTaid Annular Muicies of the Belly. There are likewife feen in the Right Mufcles Q^Q_Q, three or four Late- ral white Fibres, RRRj which do moft commonly divide each Right Mufcle into four other, following one another, to the End, that thefe Mufcles may perform their Fundion by a lelfer Contradion, ana proporcionably by a lelfer Tumifadion, and !o not take up too much room; which otherwife, in cafe the Flefhly Fibres of the Os Pubis fliould extend themfelves to the Breaft- bone, woulci not be performed fo regulatly or conveniently. The other Ufes which are afcribed by the Anatomifts to thefe Right and ?yram;dalM\Ji{c\QSy may be feen and confider'd by every one in their Writings; we have dwelt long enough upon them here already. Sect. XVII. 0/ifices in the Mufcles for the Seminal Vejfels. He that is not fatisfied, that all thefe things are performed for Wife Pur- pofes, let him caft his Eyes farther in 7ab. II. Fig. i. upon the Orifices de- fcribed by the Letter I, as they arc found in the three Mufcles ; thro' which^ at the Groin, theie goes the Tube W, thro^ which the Seminal Veffelsin the Males, and the round Ligaments of the Matrix in the Females do pafs; and confider whether fuch neceflary things as thefe are placed there by Chance. Sect. XVIII. The Voluntary and Spontaneous Motions of the Inteftinum Redum. To add fomething more to what has been faid above, and which feems to me fufEcient not only to fettle a Sceptical Mind, but even to convince aa Obftinate Atheift ; let both thefe unhappy Men ferioufly confider, that in this great Length of the Tube ot the Bowels, which is continued from the Stomach to the Inteflinm ReHum, no Body can encreafe or diminifti the Con- tradions or Wringings of the fame ; infomuch, that all thofe Motions (where- by that which is in the Bowels is protruded and difeharged) are quite out of the Power of his Will ; but if the fame fliould have place likewife in the low- eft Part of the Inteftinum ReBum, Mankind could never have, any command o- ver their Natural Evacuations," in order to retain or difchatge them, as occa- {ion ftiould require. And can a Man yet doubt, whether there be a God that has wifely and gracioufly order'd all thefe things, when he perceives, that in the whole Strudure of the Bowels, it is the Intefiinum ReBum only, into which Nerves are derived from the Medulla Spinalis, or Marrow of the Back-bone ; yea, that the Motion of that Bowel alone is fubjed to our Will, for the Prevention of fo many Inconveniencies, which ic would otherwife be isapoflible to avc id? CON- Tab I Ll- A E 'S- Fig. 4 %^ ''111 Ti 8- 5" TAti ] The Rellgioiis Thihjopher. V C O N T E M P L A T' I O jN \ Of the VeniE LadlCcS, and Diidus Chylicus. Section I. The T'ranjition. FTER having traced the greateft part of the Food as low as we could, kt us now turn back again to the Stomach, in order to obferve the Ways and Paflages by which our merciful Preferver has been plealed to condud th.e Ciiyie or Nourifliment that is extracted for our Food, in order to prepare and render it more ufeful for making good what is wailed in our Bodies, Not to mention in this Place the curious and skilful Strudure of the Gall- Bladder, and the Veflels, which coming out of that, and of the Li'ver do continually introduce a great quantity of G^// into the Duodenurriy where it mixes ic felf with the Feed that is fent thither thro' the Pylorus from the Sto- mach; bur more particularly, as often as by the drawing m the Breath the Midriff defcending, prefles upon the Liver, and thereby fqueezing the Gall- Bladder (which lies within the Liver) forces out the Gall through a VefTel that reaches from its Bladder to the Inteftines. To fay nothing here of that Liquor that proceeds from the Pancreas or Sweetbread (a great Gland lying under the Stomach) which mingles itfelf with the extruded Gall, about four or five Fingers below the Pylorus ^ or lower Orifice of the Stomach, and mofl- ly by the fame Paffage. Not to enter here upon enquiring into the Ufes of both thefe; whether, for inftance, they ferve together to feparate the Chyle from the groffer Parts of the Food; or to preferve the fame from Corruption by the Biiternefs of the Gall; or to render it more Fluid, or to incorporate thofe Parts of it, which cannot otherwife be eafily mixed, fuch as the fat and watry Parts; or to qualifie the Bitternefs of fome, by the others; or, for any other Purpofes, which, by a more nice Enquiry into the Nature of them, are daily difcoverM : But feeing that the determinate Ufe of each of thefe' has not yet been decided, we fhall confine our felves to thofe things only, from which we can draw fuch undoubted Conclufions, as are more than fufficienc to prove abundantly the Perfeftions of our Maker. Sect. II. I'he Vena? Laaex and Receptaculum Chyli in a Dog. To proceed then ; If there were no Lateral Orifices or Openings in the Membranes of the Duft of the Inteftines, (as there are none in the Throat for inftance, and Stomach) the Chyle or Juice, v/hich becoming Blood, fu- ftams the Body, would be difcharged at t|^e fame time, together with the grofJer ■9 2 ~The Religious Thilojopher, p,ro(fer Parts that pafs thro' them; and Mankind would confume away and die for want of Nourifiiment : Can it therefore be thought, that this likewif^ is meerly Accidental, that in order to prevent the lame, there lies in the Mefentery G G, (Tab. I. Fig. 6.) befides the Elood Veflels 1 1, and the Nerves mmm, which pafs thro' it, another kind of very narrow Veflels //, which, when a Creature has continued long without eating, are quite invi- fible, but if you diffed them a few Hours after it has been fed, they appear as little Veins full of a white Matter like Milk ; from whence it is alfo, that they take the Name oi Milky Veins {Vena LaFiea ;) thefe little Tubes open in- to the Inteftines L L, which by their Contrading and Procrnfive Motions, do fqueeze out the thinned of the Food, or prepared Chyle, in thefe Milky Veins, under the Form of a White Subftance ; which (in Dogs, according to this Figure borrowed from Vevheyen) takes its way, firft towards a great Gland K; but in Men, by feveral other fmaller Glands; fince, according to the faid Vevheyen^ this great Gland is not found in them ? Thofe that defire to fee the Defcription of the Mefentery in a Man, may be pleas'd to confult the i^th Table of the faid Author, where the Glands are reprefented by the Letters ^ ^ in the zd Fig. We {hall fay nothing of thefe Glands, becaufe Anatomifls are not as yet entirely agreed about the Ufe of them; only 'tis known that this Chyle is difcharged into a large Receptacle O, by the Vems LaElea {Tab. I. Fig. 6.) coming from this Gland : The Anatomifts call it Receftaculum Chyli, or Cifterna. Sect. III. The Receptacle of the Chyle in Humane Creatures. It muft be remembred, that in this Figure the Courfe of the Veflels is reprefented as it appeared in Dogs, forafmuch as they are feldom to be lliewn in Men, who cannot be fo foon open'd after their Death. However, they that defire to fee a true Defcription of thefe Parts, as they lie in Hu- mane Bodies, may find them in the Leipfick TranfaBions, p. 57. Anno i5py. extraded from an Englijh Book of IV. Cooper, confiding particularly in tlie fol- lowing Differences : i. That the great Receptacle of the Chyle, reprefented here by the Letter O, is compofed in Men of three large Tubes and Parts. 2. That the Links of the Chains that are here defcribed at S, (in the Tube O Sy which runs upwards, and is called the DuSius Chylicus, or Thoracicus,) are obferved to be more numerous or various in Men. Rohault does likewife make mention of one that is found in a Man. Sect. IV. The Courfe of the Chyle to the Heart. To return: In this Receptacle O, the afore-mention'd Food mixes itfelf with another Humour, Water, or Whey, which the Anatomifts call the Lymph ; and which having performed its Service to the Body, is continually derived this Way by the Vafa Lymphatics, or LymphaduBs or Lymphatics; and then this Chyle and Lymph purfue their Way together upwards thro' the Belly ind Bread along the Back- Bone, from the Receptacle of the Chyle O, thro' the The Religious Thilofopher. c^c^ the DaSlus Ch) life) us r y, and finally are difcharged at u, in the t/ina Sub- cJavia u x. The Blood running from u to x in the faid Suklavia, goes from thence thro' X B, called the J/ena Cava, or Hollow Vein, to the Heart A; from whence the Chyle and Lywpb being mingled with the Blood in u, are carried round with its Stream throughout the whole Body, in order to the Nourifti- ment thereof. Now can any one fuppofe, that the Strufture and Difpofition of fo many Vefl'els, fuch as the Vena LaSlea II, the Receptacuhim Chyli O, and its Du- Bus r r, are produced by Chance ? Can it be without Delign, that the Vafa Lymphatica q q and 1 1, do difcharge themfelves in the two laft mentioned Re- ceptacle and Dud, to make a perpetual Stream in order to convey the Chyle with greater Conveniency to the Blood in the Vein ux? Of all which, if any thing fails or is deficient, a Man runs the Rifque of lofing his precious Life. Is it without Wifdom that the Creator is pleafed to divide the Re- ceptacle of the Chyle O, into three Tubes in Men, which in Dogs and other Creatures is but one large one? To the end that in Men, who walk eredt, the great QLiantity of the Liquor fhould not ealily burft the Membrane that compofes the Receptacle O, and which is unconceivably thin and fine. If all this be not yet fufficient to convince any one, let him attend to that which follows concerning the Valves, which will lead him as it were by the Hand to an Almighty and All-wife Creator. Sect. V. The Valves in the Diidus Chyliferus, Venx Laftese, and Vafa Lymphatica. C A N we not again vifibly obferve a fix'd Purpofe and Defign of bringing the Chyle to the Blood and Heart ? Which otherwife, together with the Lymph in the Duclus Chyliferus r r, (Tab. I. Fig, 6.) ought naturally to defcend, by reafon of the ered Pofture of Men : To prevent which, it is moil won- derfully provided by the Great Creator, that there fhould be Valves in the faid Tube or DuEius, which are opened by the Chyle when it proceeds up- wards from O to u, and fo takes its right Courfe, but are (hut by the fame, if it (hould attempt to go backwards and defcend ; juft as we fee in the Gates of Sluices, which, as the Water comes one Way, are open'd without Trou- ble, but fhut of themfelves on the other Side, by the Flux of Water againft them. And there being a Danger that the Liquor in the Vena LaBea II, and in the Lymphatic q q, fhould defcend and go backwards by its own Weight, the like kind of Sluices or Flood-Gates are placed in both of ""em. Among the Lymphatic Veflels, x\\q DuBus Chyliferus itfelf, rr, mufl be reckoned, fince it is likewife continually full of this Water, or Lymph, v^ hen there is no Chyle mingled v^^ith it j and fince, as we have faid before, ft has alfo its Valves,- the Figure of which may be feen in fome meafure in Tab. IL Fig. 2. at c c and cc, and which are in like manner opened by the Liquor that runs from a to d: But if the fame Liquor fliould run backwards from d to a, they would be clofed thereby. Sect» 34 The Religious Thilqfopher. Sect. VI. The Protrupon of the Chyle. Now if it be further obferved, that this Veffel is exceeding tender, for v/hich reafon it is likewife guarded by the Pleura^ or Membrane of the Ribs ^ that it has no fufficient Fibres for protruding the Liquor contained in it when neceflary (which Fibres do for this Purpofe abound in the Inteftines and Ar- teries j but that neverthelefs the Procefs ot this Liquor is fo necclTary to- wards the Prefervation of our Lives, that they could not continue without it ; ought we not again to (land amazed at the Wifdom of the great Crea- tor, who in this Cafe has been pleafed to \^{c a fingular Method to drive this Liquor upwards, caulingfor that Purpofe the great Artery C, {T'ab. I. Fig. 6) to run along the fanne ; placing the Intercoflalis c c c, as alfo the Artery of the Reins D, above and acrofs the fame, which fwelling at every Pulfe of the intruded Blood, do as often prefs upon this Tube ; and the Liquor there- of being hindered by the Valves from going backwards, muft neceflarily move forwards and upwards ; to which likewife the Tendons of the Midriff, which are drawn up in Breathing, and which alfo prefs upon this Tube, do feem very much to contribute ? Is it not now very plain, the Motion being performed after this manner, how neceflary thefe Valves are ; fince without 'em the Prefllire might as well force the Liquor downwards as upwards ? It does likewife appear, why they are placed fo clofe to each other, and are more numerous here than in the Veins, viz,. That the Liquor fiiould be immediately ftopp'd as it endeavours to return ; whereas otherwife, if the Tube between the two Valves fhoiild be very long, it might caufe it to fwell fo much, by reafon of its Tender- nefs and Length, that there would be not only a Danger of burfting, but the Motion or Courie of the Liquor would likewife become too flow. Sect. VII. The Valve in the Vena Subclavia. Here is yet another Inftance of the wonderful Wifdom of Divine Provi- dence, tho' it feems to be but a fmall Matter j namely, that this DuEius Chilifems r r, difcharging its Liquor at «, into the Subclavian Vein x, is co- vered at its Orifice with a little Membranous Valve in the Shape of a Half- Moon ; which does hinder, in the firft place, the Blood from defcending from the Vein u x into this DuSius Thoracicm r r, and fecondly, is the Caufe that this little Membrane, being only open exaftly on the Side x, the Way that the Blood runs, the Chyle coming cut of it is thereby immediately car- ried along with the Stream thereof; whereas, if it had been open on the other Side, the Blood by its flrong Circulation would piefs into this Veflsl r r, and fo hindering the Chyle from going forwards, would put an erid to our Life. I cannot forbear reprefenting this laft Kfatter in Tal;. II. Fil^. 2, which is borrowed from the Accurate Dr. Lcwer : d b and c a is the DuSlm Chylijerus, c c the Valves, which are here more vifible, becaufe the Chyle being fquee- ze-d backwards with the Finger from ^to b, againft the faid Valves^ makes the Tube fwell in that Part, leaving the other b d h empty. But that which is The Religious Phik/opher. o^^ is mofl remarkable in this Figure, is the little Semi-lunar Valve /, which co- vers the Orifice h of the DuBus Chylifenis in the Vena Suklavia, after fach a manner, that the Blood flowing from / to^, and fo on to the Heart, ishin- dei'd from forcing its Way into the Chyle- Veffel da, and yet admits of a free Paflage for the Chyle and Lymphs as they run from a lo b : e is the Ju- gular Vein, the Blood of which defcending into the Vein f gy renders this little Valve i fo much the more necellary. Sect. VIII. ConviSiions from the foregoing O'ofervatiom. Is there then occadoh for any farther Proof of the adoreable Wifdom of the Creator, than what has been juft now produced ? And can any Ivlaa be fo far miftaken as to attribute all this to Chance, or ignorant Caufes ? For if each of thefe Things were not made for that very End of carrying the Cliyle and Lymfb up to the Blood, and thereby preferving the Life of a Man, why are the little Valves placed there ? Why are they allop^n on the fame Side ? Infomuch, that if among the great Number of them any one fiiould fail in performing its Work, there would prefently be an End of Life, Once again j If any one fuppofes that all this depends upon Chance, why does he not think the fame of the Sluice-Gates for Water-Mills oi: other Ufes ? For I cannot believe than any one would dare to affirm the fame of a common Sluice (which neverthelefs has only the Strudure of but twoofthefe Valves) that it was made without Knowledge or Skill ; to fay nothing of the amazing Strufture of fuch an innumerable Company of Sluices following one another, and adapted to one and the fame Purpofe^ as in the Cafe of thefe Tubes. After all this, if a Man ferioufly refleSs, that upon the Strudure of fo tender a Veffelas the DuBus Chyltjerus a d, (Tab. II, Fig. z.) upon theDifor- der ot fo fmall and not lefs tender Valves c c ; upon the Infledion towards the wrong Side of thefe Valves, which are compofed only of a thin, moifl and flabby little Membrane ; efpecially upon fuch a little worthless Inftru- ment as the Valve i appears to be (which covers the Orifice h of the D«- Bus Chyhferusy where it is inferred in the Vein fg-,) and laflly, upon the Diforder not only of all thefe together, but of any one of thefe fo fmall and feemingly contemptible Particles, our precious Lives are entirely de- pending ; and if but one of 'em all fliould fail to perform its Fun6lion. fo valuable a Creature as Man is, would prefently turn to a putrifying Carcafs : Muft not every one confefs, that he is formed after a mofl fearful and wonderful Manner ? And ought we not daily to worfiiip our Great Preferver with the mofl grateful A^cknowledgments, for his having vouchfafed to preferve fuch fine and fuch delicate Parts of the Body, all of them abfoluteiy neceflary to Life, fo long and in fo good a State and Condition ? So that the Pfalmijl of Ifrael had great Caufe to fay, Pfal. cxxxix. v. 14. / luill praife thee, for lam fearfully and wonderfuUy made j marveUous are thy IVorksj and that my Soul knoxu- eth right irell. How often do Clocks, Mills, and other moving Machines (land in need of being adjured by a skilful Mafter ? And ought not this to teach every K one. 35 The Religious Philofopher. one, that a great Direftor does fapporc and maintain all thefe Things in that neceflary State, towards which all Creatures, all the moil skilful Phyfi- cians, all the moft learned Philofophers, or the mod ingenious Artificers, cannot contribute the leall in the World ? And how can any Man forbear charging himfelf with the utmoft Unreafonablenefs, who feeing fo great and important a Work, as is the Life of Men, and all other Creatures, carried on by fo fimple, and, in Appearance, contemptible Means, does neverthe- lefs perfift in afcribing it all to raeer Chance, or ignorant Caufes ? And be- ing fenfible how much Good is thereby daily produced in himfelf, (concern- ing which he is forced to own, that he not only gave no Direftion, but, which is more, that he had not the leaft Perception ; ) mufl he not pro- nounce himfelf both ungrateful and worthy of Condemnation, as often as he refufes to acknowledge the Mercy and Goodnefs of his Benefador, and even his Wifdom alfo, in the midft of fo many Wonders. CONTEMPLATION VI Of the Heart. Sect. L The General Ufe of the Heart, LE T us now go on, and trace the Chyle or Food (which, as we have juft now (hew'd, is mingled with the Blood at the left Subclavian) quite to the Heart ; in the Structure of which there do occur fo many wonderful Things, that one would imagine that none but a very unhappy or obftinate Perfon, feeing and comprehending the Compofition of this Or- gan, could help being convinced of the Wifdom of the Great Creator, and of the determinate End to which it is adapted, 'viz.. the Reception and Ex- pulfion of the Blood, (whether there be other Ufes of the Heart, I fhall not here enquire) to the end, that the Blood, by this Motion, having per- feded its Circulation thro' the Lungs, and thro' other Veflels, to all the Parts of the Body, and performed feveral other Fundions in other Piaces, might return to the Beginning of its Courfe, that is, to the Heart and Lungs. Sect. IL The Defer ipi ion of the Heart. This Heart has two Cavities, or Ventricles, feparated from each other by a thick flefliy Wall, or Septum, which every one may fee, that will take the trouble to cut acrofs the Heart of an Ox or Sheep. The Heart, at the upper Part of it A, (Tab. 11. Fig. 5.) is thick, but at the lower Part B, much fienderer j the Shape of it is like that of an inverted blunt Pyramid ; it The Religious Vhilofopher. 37 it is faftened, and hangs by its Veins and Arteries E F G H I ,• E is the Vena Cava, or hollow Vein by which the Blood defcends ; G is the Vena Arteriofa, or Arteria Pulmonaria, (the Pulmonic Artery) thro' which it paifes out of this Ventricle into the Lungs; and H is the Arteria Venoja, or Vena Pulmonaria (the Pulmonic Vein) thro' which the fame Blood returns from the Lungs into the left Ventricle of the Heart j out of which it is carried by the Aorta, or great Artery I, to all the Parts of the Body ; C is the Right Auricle of the Heart, into which the Blood pafles from £ and F, before it falls into the Right Ventricle; D is the Left Auricle, which performs the fame Funftioii to the Left Ventricle ,• K K are the Arteria Coronaria, and the Vena Coronaria, wliich feed the Heart, and provide it with Blood. Sect. IIL I'he Eminence or Protuberance in the Vena Cava. But here the Stream of Blood defcending from the Vena Cava at E, meet- ing with another Stream afcending at F, feems to threaten the apparent Dan- ger of thefe two Currents rufliing againft each other, either within the Ven- tricle or Auricle of the Heart,- for that Blood which comes down from E, af- (ifted with its own Weight, and having therefore a greater Strength, might hinder the other, which coming up from F, runs againft it, from purfuing its Courfe ; and fo the Circulation of the Blood, and therewith the Life itfelf, might foon come to an End. Now to prevent thefe Liconveniences, that would otherwife be fo dange- rous, we find that between thefe two Veins E and F, (both which are repre- fented at A A, Tab. II. Fig. 4. where they are laid open) there is a Protube- rance B, compofed of the Fat that lies under, againft which the Blood de- fcending from E, runs or ftrikes, and by that means the Courfe of it is turn- ed to the Right Auricle of the Heart j whilft the Blood afcending from F, is by the faid Protuberance B covered and fecured againft the oppofite Courfe ok the defcending Blood, and fo is obliged to turn its Courfe afide to the Ven- tricle of the Heart. We muft likewife here obferve, that this Protuberance B is much greater in a Man (becaufe in confequence of his ereft Pofture, the upper Blood at E defcends exadly perpendicular) than it is in Dogs, Horfes, Cattle, and the like Creatures, in which the Courfe of the Blood at E F is only horizontal, and therefore does not move with fo great Force. Once again : How very ivonderjuUy are we made ! And can any body fee, without terrible Emotions, that as our precious Life, in the DuEius Chyliferus, does entirely depend upon fuch flender and minute Valves, fo it does here upon fuch a fmall Protuberance as is defcribed at B? If here were no exprefs Defign of the adoreable Creator, why do we find it juft in this Place ? why is it bigger in a Man, where th^re is a Neceifity in Nature for its being fo, to balance the Force of the defcending Blood ; and lefs in fuch Creatures, where fuch Balance is not wanting to perform the fame Service ? K 2 Sect. c^8 The Religious Thihjopher^ Sect. IV. The Auricles of the Heart. Furthermore, the Courfe of the Blood, which continually pafTes thro* thcfe Veins A A, feems to require, belides the Heart, another Refting- place to be contained in, during the Time in which the Heart contrads it- felt in order to diicharge the Blood, and while the Valves of the Orifice of the Right Ventricle are (hut; to the end that it might be there colleded in the mean time, and as foon as the little Valves are again open, be fwiftly emptied into the Heart ; for which Purpofe the Auricle C, (Jlab. II. Fig. 3.) ferves on the right Side of the Heart, as D does on the left, which whilft the Paflage thro' the Valves is ftopt, are full of the Blood that runs into them, and are provided, after a wonderful manner, with Mufcles and other Inllru- ments, by which means each of them can fwiftly contradt it felf as there is Occalion, and lofe no time in the fudden Difcharge of the Blood into the Right and Left Ventricles of the Heart. Sect. V. 7he Operation of the Heart. The Blood being now come thither at the time when the Heart does as it were loofen and open itfelf (I do not here difpute whether there be a Fa- culty in the Heart required for that Purpofe) it contrads itfelf fuddenly, and with great Force ; infomuch, that the Sides of the Right Ventricle ap- proaching each other by fuch a Contradion, and the upper and lower Ends thereof being likewife drawn together, the whole Cavity is in a manner clofed, and the Blood thereupon driven out with great Swiftnefs into the Lungs thro* the Pulmonic Arteiy, or Vena Aneriofa G, (Tab. II. Fig. 3.) and goes on- ward thro' the Pulmonic Vein, or Arteria Vemfa H, to the Left Ventricle of the Heart, after it has been diflributed thro' the Lungs. One may have a grofs Conception of this Working of the Heart, by com- paring it to a Bellows full of Water, in which there are two round Holes at Top; the one of which, upon the Clofing or Contradion of the Bellows, is ftopt with a Valve, whilft the other remains open ; now, in cafe you fliould with a fudden and violent Motion prefs the Sides thereof together, fo that in a Moment, or in the time of one Pulfe, the whole Cavity thereof were taken away, it can fcarce be imagined with how great Swiftnefs the Water in the Bellows would fpring out of the Orifice which remains open : And this is a rough Idea of the Manner in which the Blood is fuddenly ex- truded from the Right Ventricle of the Heart into the Lungs. Sect. VI. The Courfe of the Mufcular Fibres. Now, in order to perform this fo fudden and violent Corrtradion, or Sy- ftole of the Heart, the Mufcular Fibres of which it is compofed are fo won- derfully and fo peculiarly adapted to this very Fnd, that he who is not wil- fully Blind, and under a deplorable Hardnefs, muft herein neceffarily difcover the Hand of a V/ife and Defigning Creator. That this is not faid without good Grounds, will appear plainly enough to fuch as pleafe carefully to con- Ider the Courfe of thefe Fibres. a For The Religious Thilojopher, q^- For you may fee firft, the Fibres A and B, (Tal^.ll. Fig. $■) luiruing o- bliquely from Top to Bottom, and others defcnbed by C and D, croiiing ihe former -, both thefe oblique Fibres being contraded in their Operacion, the Cavities of tiie Heart mull become narrower, and both its Ends in fome fort likewife drawn together. Beiides thcfe, there are other Fibres that lie above them, and run flreight upwards, (Tab. II. F/g. 6.) which only belong to the Right Ventricle, and by contracting thcrafelves, do fliorten the fame. But the Courfe ot the Fibres, that perform the fame Work in the Left Ventricle, is wonderfully furprifing^ for thofe A B, (Tah II. Fig. j.) running on all fides from Top to Bottom, encompafs the Heart at the Point C, and being con- iraded, draw the fame upwards towards A: Thefe Fibres are reprefented upon the faid Point or fliarp End, as you may fee Tab. II. Fig. 8. Now, in order to allift the lateral Contra(51:ion of the oblique Fibres, we may obferve a row of other Fibres, A C B, (Tab. II. Fig. g.) running under the oblique ones, which perform their Fundion, by encompafling the Heart crofs-wife, and contrading the fame ,• fo that here is \\\ a manner the like Dif- proportion of Mufcles as has been fhewn above in defcribing thofe of the Belly : This whole Matter is largely treated of m. that little, but accurate, Difcourfe of the Learned Dr. Lovjer. Let any Body now that underftands thefe Things, ferioufly confider with himfelf, whether it be poffible, that fuch a variety of Rows of Fibres, en- dowed with fuch a great Strength together (as has been demonfirated by Bo^ relli) and all fervi-ng to that very Purpofe for which the Heart feems alone to have been form'd, that is to fay, by its Contradion^ to protrude the Blood it has received, into the Arteries joyn'd to it j I fay, whether all thofe Fibres can have acquired this wonderful Difpofition,' without Wifdom and without Defign ? Now, fince there are not hitherto any other Mufcles difcover'd in the whole Heart, fave thofe that contrad it, and render its Cavities narrower; is this likewife by Chance, that the Fibres thereof when once contraded, are not fuffer*d to continue in the fame Condition, but prefently dilating them- felves, do open the Cavities, that they may again receive the following Blood out of the Veins, and by the repeated Contradion of the Heart, jdiftribute it to the Lungs and other Parts continually, and as long our Lives do laft? Sect. VII. The ASiion of the Vahes of the Veins. There flill remains another Difficulty in the Ufe of the Heart, 'viz.. that (fince each Ventricle has two Orifices, one by which the Blood enters, and the other, by which it goes out again) it feems to be a Confequence thereof, that the Heart being fo fuddenly and flrongly Contraded, the Blood fhould flow at once out of both of 'em, and fo be forced backwards by the fame Paifage by which it enterM into this Ventricle. To prevent the fame, the wife Power of the wonderful Creator does again appear, who for this Purpofe has been pleafed to place there another fort of Valves (which, by reafon of their Triangular Figure, the Anatomifts call My- traksj becaufe they reprefent a Bijlhop's Mitre) that part of both the Veins, thro* ^o 77?^ Religious Philofopher. thro* which the Blood is difcharged into the Heart; and thefe, when the Heart contrads it felf, and the blood is thereby driven towards the Orifice, in the Circumrerence whereof they are placed, are thereby fliut very clofely : iThefe Valves (which we can hardly look upon without Amazement, if we confider the Providential Views of the Creator) are faflen'd to the fides of the Ventricles with a great many tendinous Fibres, that are very Itrong, in order to fecure the Valves when they are fhut, like fo many Bars and Chains upon Doors, to the end that the P'orce wherewith the Blood that was fqueez- ed out of the Ventricles ading againft them, may not break them open, or bend them in fuch manner on the other fide, as to make a PaiTage thro' them for the Blood; efpecially, confidering that they are compofed only of thin and flexible Membranes, and not of Bones or other folid Matter. Thefe Tendinous Fibres, have moreover the following remarkable Ufes : Firji, That as the Heart after its Contradion, does again dilate it felf and become longer, and confequently the Sides of it, which were raifed upwards, do fink down again ; I fay, the faid Fibres being faften'd to the Sides, draw the Valves open (as is done in the Gates of fome Sluices with Ropes) in or- der to make a free Pafiage for the returning Blood. Secondly, That thefe Fi- bres are fafien'd m fuch a manner to fome little Protuberances, or Pins of the Sides of the Heart, and even to the oppofite Side alfo, that they can hinder thofe Valves from falling down flat, or from touching the Sides of the Heart, to the end that the Blood, in the Contraction of the Ventricle, may prefs a- gainfl thefe Valves continually from below, and fo raife them upwards, in order to clofe their Orifices. Sect. VIII. ConviElions from the foregoing Obfewations. I Have given an Account of the chiefeft of thefe Matters by Words only, without adding any Figures to them ; having found in the moft accurate IBooks of Anatomy, that the befl: and moft exad Figures taken from the Ori- ginal, are not capable of giving much Light, by reafon of the vaft Number of Particulars that are obfervable therein, to fuch as have not viewed the fame in the Heart of any Creature ; for they would require more Study and Application to be underftood, than even the Strudure of the Heart itfelf. They that would make a Tryal thereof, may confult the Fourth Figure in the j^th Table of Monfieur Verheyen, and the Firfi Figure in the $th Table of Dr. Loiuer. " Farther, if there were any known Machine to be met with, the Operati- ons whereof had any Analogy or Similitude with thofe of the Heart, theDe- fcription of it might, perhaps, render this Account a little clearer; but nei- ther Pumps, nor any kinds of Spouts, no, not even the Modern Engines for quenching Fires (tho' in the opening or fhutting of their Valves, they may feem in fome manner to imitate the Heart) nor any thing elfe that Art has yet been able to produce, can any-wife come near them^ to reprefent the great Wifdom wherewith this wonderful Machine of the Heart is formed. Can any Man then imagine, that this great Work has been made by Chance, 3 when The Religious TPhilqfopher. 4.1 when no Body dares affirm the lame, even of all thofe other imperfeft Ma- chines that have been nnention'd above ? Having oftentimes meditated upon thefe Things, I have thought with my felfj how fearfully and luondefully ice uere made, as upon two other occafi- ons has been mentioned before ^ for in cafe one of thefe Valves fhould be out of order, and unfit to perform itsFundion,- yea, if one of thefe little Fibres, which are faften'd to the Valve and draw it up, fliould break, or be either too fliort or too long, thefe little Sluice- Gates could not be fhut, as not be- ing able to approach each other, if the Fibres were too fhort; or, if too long, not able to remain fo, but forced to give way to the Preflbre of the Blood i infomuch, that not only upon each of thefe little Valves, but, which is yet more amazing, upon the various Length of thefe fine Fibres, the Life of fo Artful a Machine as every Man is, yea, even the Lives of Kings and Princes themfelves, and of all Creatures whatfoever, do entirely depend. Sect. IX. 'The Valves of the Arteries. This being faid of the Orifices, thro' which the Blood paffes into both the Ventricles of the Heart, there was yet danger, that when the Blood was protruded from the Right Ventricle into the Artery of the Lungs, and out of the Left into the Great Artery,'the Heart opening itfelf again, and the Expul- live Force ceafing with the Sjfioki the Blood by its Weight might go back in- to the Ventricle of the Heart from whence it came, and fo, by obflrufting the Circulation, caufe immediate Death. But here the Care of a moft merciful Creator has interpofed, by placinj^ o- ther Valves again at the beginning of both thefe Arteries, which perform jufl the contrary Funftion to the foregoing ; fo, that as the former were ftiut by the Blood that endeavoured to afcend from the Heart, thefe are ftut by that which defcended to the Heart : And, whereas the firft were openM by the Blood that ran to them, the fame is effeded in thefe, by the Blood that iffues out. That this may be more clearly conceived, let (Tab. IL Fig. lo.) a a repre- fent the open'd Part of the Left Ventricle of the Heart; c the Great Artery difleded lengthwife; bbh, the three Semi-lunar Valves, which are fhut by the returning Blood: Here they appear lying flat and extended, whereas, o- iherwife they fill the round Orifices of the Artery; /fare the three Triangu- lar, or Mitral Valves, turned afide, that you may fee the other b bb the bet- ter; and at thofe//, one may obferve the Fibres/^ fiill hanging, the Ends of which ^^, are fhewn cut off from the fides of the Heart, to which they are otherwife faften'd, when in their natural State, How thefe little Valves bbby are difpofed by the Blood that is driven back, and how they fliut the Artery, may be obferv'd c cc {Tab IJ. Fig. 2.) The Appearance is likewife the fame, if you blow into the Artery A; BB are the Coronal Arteries (Arteria Coronaria) which ^q&q. the Heart, and carry their Blood thither ; the Openings of which into the Aorta, or Great Artery, are reprefented in {7ab, IL Ftg. lo.) dd, exadly above thefe Valves. Sect. 4-2 Tj\e^ReUgious TUloJopher. Sect. X. The Lateral Mufdes of the Heart. All the admirable Cnriofities obfcrvable in the Hear:, would be too many to be here nicely examined into. The Lateral Mufck.'. in the Right Ventri- cle of the Hear: (to pafs by a great many other wonderful Contiivances in that Organ) feem here to requirt: more particularly an immediate Attention; thefe Mufcles, holding the Sides of the Heart together, hinder it from being too much extended by the Blood that falls into it at each Diaftole, and fo lerve for a Mcifure of the Quantity that is to be poured inco it at each time; they do likewife contribute to the bringing the Sides nearer together in the Sy/iok or Contra<9:ion of the Heart. Thus, we likev/ife perceive, that the left Ventricle is encompailed with much ftronger Mufc es and Walls than the Right, which appears when you cut the Heart a-crofs; becaufe, thu this laft is only to convey the Blood thro' the Lungs, which bears no Comparifon with the Diftance (viz.. the extreme Parts of the Bodyj which it arrives at by the force of the Left Ventricle of the Heart. Whether this Force be wholly determined by the Contrafting Mufcles of the Left Ventricle; or whether the Arteries afford any co-operating Power towards this Motion of the Blood, is yet a Matter in difpute : But this is certain, that whatever Force conveys the Blood to the Extremities of the Body, contributes towards furnifliing it there with the Means of returning to the Heart by the Veins. If People cannot iiere difcover the Views and Defigns of their Great Creator, their Blindnefs is much to be lamented : Yea, ought not every one to ftand amazed, that fees fo much Swiftnefs communicated to the Blood, by fuch a foftflefiiy Inftrument, in order to perform fo great a Circulation in fo fliort a time ? Sect. XL The Force and Povwr of the Heart, reprefented hy Comparifons. H E that doubts whether the Syflole of the Heart is a Force fufficient of it felf to bring about fuch a Circulation, may, without Mathematicks, ob- ferve how great a Force and Swiftnefs is performed by the Compreffion of two Bodies, by taking a Cherry-Stone, and fuddenly fqueezing it between his Fore- finger and Thumb, which will caufe it to iiy out more fwiftly than a Perfon never making that Obfervation cou'd eafily imagine. By taking a handful of wet Clay, and compreffing it fuddenly, as the Heart does the Blood, ano- the notable Inflance offers it felf ; for, by obferving how nimbly the Clay burfls out, wherever there is a Paffage for it between the Fingers; and, con- lidering at the fame time, that this Clay has five Places to come out at (three between the Fingers, one at the Top, and another at the Bottom of the Hand) this Conclusion (which illuftrates the Motion of the Blood from the Heart) naturally refults; wz:,. that if the Clay iffued out only through one Faflfage (inftead of five) the Velocity tvou'd be five times greater. After the fame manner the Spittle, which is produced in the Mouth by Smoaking Tobacco, is difcharg'd with great Swiftnefs; this is perform'd by colleding the Moifture into a Cavity between the Tongue and Lips, which Cavity they afterwards deflroy, by thrufting the Tongue againft the Lips, and fo force the The Religious Thilojopher. ^'^ the Spittle out. One might inllance in other Cafes, but this is fufficient to reprefent, in fome fort, the Purpofe in hand. Sect. XII. The Pericardium, cr Itttk Bag of the Heart, Add to all this, that the Heart is preferred in a Membranous Bag, called the Pericardium ; which, by furnifliing a Liquor from its little Glands (concerning this, fee Bergeus, Malpighius, See.) does continually keep the Heart fmooth, and fit to perform its conftant powerful Motions, hindring its External Membrane from being wrinkled by too much Drynefs; and it lubri- cates and moiftens the adjacent Mufcular Fibres, by which means this won- derful Inflrument is enabled to perform its neceflary Funftions, which other- wife would be obftruded. Sect. XIII. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervatiom. T o fay no more ; after the Contemplation of this Heart in all its above- mentioned Circumilances, can an unhappy Philofopher, even the moft ill-na- tured and obdurate Atheift, be eafy in maintaining, that all this is perform- ed without Wifdom, without Defign, and only by ignorant Caufes? Since he cannot but know, that he would be taken by all Men, and, without doubt, by himfelf too, for a very foolifh Perfon, in cafe he durft affirm, that a Fire-En- gine only (which by no means is to be compared with the wife Contrivance and Stru6ture of the Heart) v/as produced by Chance, and without the Con- currence of a skilful Workman. Let him alfo add, that this Machine is made and put into Motion by another ; fo that the whole is performed in his own Body, not only without his Will, but even without his Knowledge and Per- ception ; and will he not yet fee that his dear and precious Life is fupported by another, who has fhewn fo great Wifdom therein ? How can any one con- ceive, that this Motion of the Heart, according to the Calculation of the fa- mous Mathematician Borel/i^ muft be performed by the exerting of more Force at every Pulfe, than is required to furmount the Refiftance of fome thoufand Pounds Weight ? That fuch a Motion is performed above two thoufand times in an Hour, without ever cealing, v/hether we wake or fleep, for the Space of fifty, fixty, or feventy Years perhaps ? And particularly, fince our other Mufcles, after much lefs Pains, and fometimes but in one Day, become fo tired and impotent, which never happens to the Mufcles of this little Heart in fo many Years. And cannot then fo great a Matter, brought about by fuch wonderful Inftruments, and after fo amazing a Manner, convince every Man that is reafonable, and make him conclude with Certainty, that a Power far exceeding Humane Knowledge is here exerted. Yea, none can deny, that according to what we have juft now fhewn, thac as often as he lays his Hand upon his Bread, and feels his Heart beat, thac this Motion is performed without his own Concurrence, and confequently by that of another. L CON- 44 The Religious 'Philqfopher. CONTEMPLATTON VII. Of (^Jpiration. Sect. I. 7??^ Air is neceffary to the Blood. THOSE who have read the preceding Difcourfes, are already in- formed, that the Blood difcharges it feif from the Veins E and F, lab. II. Fig. 3. into the right Ventricle of the Heart -, from thence it is in- troduced into the Lungs (by the Syftole of the right Ventricle) thro' the Vena Arteriofay or Pulmonic Artery G ; and from the Lungs it is again dif- charged into the left Ventricle of the Heart, by the Arteria Venofay or Pul- monic Vein H. Now whether the Blood pafles from one of thefe Tubes into the other immediately, or whether it pafles thro' that Subftance of the Lungs which is of the Nature of Bellows, we will not here enquire ; this is certain, that the Air fucked into the Lungs where this Blood is, does, as long as Life lafl, come in and go out again ; and whatever the Ufe of it be, it is fo great, that no Man can want it a fhort fpace of Time, without prefently dying ; and it isnolefs probable, that the InflirLiments by which the Air is conveyed into the Lungs, are made with great Skill and Contrivance. Sect. II. The Blood VejJeU and Afpera Arteria in the Lungs. He that doubts of this, let him take the Lungs and Wind-Pipe of a Lamb, or any other Animal, in which may be obferved, i. That the upper O.ifice of the faid Wind -Pipe can be covered with a fmall Cartilage, called the Epi- glottis, whilft the Food is defcending thro' the Gulletj that lies behind it, in- to the Stomach. 2. That whereas the Branches of the Wind-Pipe, which fpread themfelves into the Lungs, are cartilaginous, and of a round or cy- lindric Figure, that they may always remain open ; yet the Wind-Pipe itfelf, where it lies upon the Guliet, that it may not hinder the Paflage of the Air in the fore Part of it, does by its Cartilages compofe part of a circular Figure only, and behind has only a Membranous Covering, becaufe the Cartilages perceivable in the fore Part of the Wind-pipe would prefs too hard upon the Gullet, thereby incommoding the PafTage of the Food. ^. The wonderful Struftureof the Air Tubes, or Branches of the Wind-Pipe,(T. II. Fig. 3.) the Tubes or Veins E and F, are the fame that are reprefented 111 Jab. HI. Fig. 5. by C and B; from which the Blood palfes upwards and downwards into the Right Ventricle ot the Heart, and thence thro' the Veflel G {TaL II. Fig. 3.) into the Lungs, and thence again thio' another Vein H, into the Left Ventricle of the Heart j which two Veifels H and G, are fhewn before in Tal?. II. Fig. 12. by C E and B E, which encompafs between them both, one of the Branches of the Lungs A E : Laftly, let him fuppofe that the Blood is protruded from this Lett Ventricle, by the Contraction or Syfiole of the Heart, into the great Ar- tery X (lab. 11. Fig. 3.) which, how it diftributes itfelf by its Branches, has I been lately fhewn in Tab. III. Fig. 4. So that by this means the way of the fo famous Circulation of the Blood may appear to any one that considers the fame ; which Blood pafTing from the Heart thro' the Arteries to all the Parts of the Body, is tranfmitted back by the Veins into the fame ; and then having pafs'd thro' the Lungs, between both the Ventricles of the Heart, refumes the fame Courfe again thro' the Great Artery. He that has ever feen the Circulation of the Blood in the Tail of an Eel, by the help of a Microfcope, will be very well fatisfied concerning this Moti- on, without our producing any farther Proofs thereot, tho' they are very nu- merous ; and he will be no lefs convinc'd of the great Velocity, or Swiftnefs, of the Blood's Motion, if ever he faw it fpringing out of a cut or wounded Artery. Sect. VI. How often the Blood Circulates in an Hour. Now that we may farther enquire how often the B!ood circulates through- out the Body of a Man in the fpace of one Day, let us agree with the Great Harvey in the following Pofirions. 1. That the Left Ventricle of the Heart may contain about two Ounces of Blood ,• tho' the accurate Dr. Loiuer has often found it larger. 2. That in each Contradion of the Heart, this Cavity \s in a manner quite empty; and therefore two Ounces of Blood are at each time protruded into the Great Artery ; which fwelling up thereby, caufes the Pulfe. 3. If we now fuppofe, that each Pulfe is made in a Second of an Hour, or in the 60th part of a Minute, which every one may obferve in himfelf, and is at prefent, for Conveniency fake, allowed by many; this will produce 3600 Pulfes every Hour; and confequently twice as many, that is 7200 Ounces will pafs through the Heart in the fpace of an Hour. 4. This together will make the quantity of doo Pounds of Blood (allowing with the Phyficians 12 Ounces to the Pound) that will pafs thro' the Heart in an Hour. 5. Now it is the common Opinion of the Anatomifts, that a Man has fel- dom more Blood in his Body than 24 fuch Pounds, or lefs than 1 5 ; but fup- pofing here, with Lo-wer, that the fame amounts to 25 fuch Pounds, it is plain, that the whole Blood paffes thro' the Heart 24 times in an Hour, that is to fay, 576 times m 2l Day and a Night, Now The Religious Vhilofopher. 41 Now if we fhould maintain with Dr. Lifter , p, 47. that there are 75 Pulfes in a Minute, or 4500 in an Hour j and that the bare Blood only, which cir- culates thro' the Heart, without including other Humours, as the Gall, Spit- tle, &c. which are feparated from it, and do not circulate with ic, confifts of no more than 7 Pounds, as is pretended by fome, the fame will pafs thro' the Heart at leaft 80 Times every Hour, if he allows 16 Ounces to the Pound; and above 100, if but 12 Ouncesj but let the Difference be what it will, it is certain it goes thro' it a great many times. Sect. VII. Convifiions from the foregoing Obfervation. Let now an unhappy Atheifl (it down by himfelf, and fix his Thoughts upon the furprifing Swiftnefs of the Blood's Motion : let him confider, how great the Strength of the Heart and Arteries mull be, which, during the whole fpace of his Life, produce fuch a fwift Stream of Blood : let him re- prefent to himfelf the various Pofition of fuch numberlefs fmall Branches o£ the Veins and Arteries thro' which it flows ; and having refleded upon the Misfortunes that happen to a Man, in cafe this Circulation is flopp'd even in the very fmalleft Branches, and particularly, that all this is brought about in his Body, without any Power of his own Will, and even without know- ing or being fenfible of what palTes : let him ask himfelf, whether he can, with a confenting Confcience, maintain, that this whole Strufture of the Heart, Lungs, Veins and Arteries, was not produced by a wife Mafter ? and whether this Blood can be carried about fo many thoufand Times, for :he fpace of 40, 50, do, or more Years, thK)ugh fuch narrow Veflels, and lever ceafe moving, unlefs it be by the Diredion of a Powerful and Graci- ous Ruler, who preferves andfupports his Life, without the Alfiftance of any :oncurring Creature ? Sect. VII I . Seieral Particulars. 1 . Orifices of the Lateral Branches. That we may not be too tedious here, we fhall pafs by innumerable Particulars, which might prove a Powerful, Wife, and Gracious God, even o the blindeft of Men j and only hint at a i^Wj for the further Convidion )f thofe deplorable Philofophers. Difled a Vein or an Artery, length-wife, and obferve how regularly the • Drifices in both of 'em lye -, thro' which, from the latter, the Blood paffes nto the Branches that fpring out of it, and from the former is received into- he Vein ont of the Branches thereof. Sect. IX. 2. 'The' Arteries grow narrower. Can it be imagined, efpecially, that it comes to pafs by Accident, that he Arteries are larger next the Heart, and gradually narrower, and di- ided into numerous little Branches, as they go farther from it? The Rea- Dn of which is, to prevent the Blood, which iflucs with fo much Violence ut of the Heart, from pafTmg by the Lateral Branche. Il'l. Fig. 4. grow continually fmaller from the Heart to the extreme Parts, Now that a Liquor pafTmg thro' a narrow Veffel into a wider, runsOow- er in the fame fpace of Time, is obvious enough to every one, without pro- ving ft experimentally ; but if he has a mind to fee it that way likewife,' let him fill a Pipe with Water, and thrufl it with its Orifice downwards, into & Bucket, which has likewife Water in it to a certain Heighth, and forcing N 2 the 62 The Religious Thilojopher. the Water as faft as he can out of the faid Pipe, he will find, that the Water in the Bucket will afcend but to a very fmall Heighth, tho' all that was in the Pipe came out of its full Length at the fame time^ from whence it ap- pears, that the Water in the narrow Pipe moved more fwiftly than that which was in the wider Veflel : But this is fo plain, that we need fay no more of it. Sect. XVI. 8. The little Valves in the Veins. But fince the Blood moving more flowly in thefe Veins {7aL III. Fig. 5.) might, by reafon of its Weight, (efpecially in thofe that carry it diredly upwards^ endeavours to fink down or go back, and fo in long Tubes forci- bly refill this flower Motion ; may we not again difcover here the Provi- dence of the Creator, exerting it felf in fo peculiar a manner, who has thought fit to place little Valves in thefe Veins i fometimes but one, as in *Iab. IV. Fig. 2. at A J fometimes two together, as at B B, whofe Bufinefs is to flop the Blood when it attempts to go back, and that in may not, by its Weight, prefs too much upon that which follows, and thereby retard its Motion ? Now is all this done by Chance, and without Defign ? Why then are thefe Valves fixed in the Veins, where they are fo ferviceable, and not in the Arteries, where they are fo far from being necelfary, that they would be prejudicial ? Sect. XVII. 9. Of the Fibres in the Veins and Arteries, W E mufl add one thing more, and fo conclude thefe Remarks, which would otherwife, as is well known to thofe that underftand it, fvvell to a much greater Bulk : Can any rational Man then perfwade himfelf, that the Great Creator had no End at all, or that it came to pafs merely by Chance, that in the Arteries, where the Blood flood in need of more flrength, in or- der to infinuate itfelf inio the narrow Pafiages of their extreme Branches, the Mufcular Fibres, by which they are contrafted, are very flrong in thofe Parts ; and on the contrary, in the Veins, which continually grow larger, and in which too great a Swiftnefs and Contraction would be hurtful, the Fibres are far from being fo flrong or fo numerous ? But that which the Wife Creator caufes us to feel as it were with the Hand, is that in the Vena Porta, the like Fibres are again flronger than in other Veins, tho' fewer than in the Arteries ; thofe being the only Veins of all thofe of the Body, whofe Branches, entring into the Liver, grow narrower and narrower ; for which reafon they require more Strength than other Veins, to the end, that like the Arteries, they may oblige the Blood to pafs on to the narrow Rami- fications, and to the Glands of the Liver. Sect. XVIII. Ihe Ufes of the Blood in General. Now to pafs by other Particulars concerning the Blood and Veins, of which we have already treated very fully, the Thread of our Difcourfe feems. to lead us to the Ufes and Motions of this Blood.. There The Religious Thilqfopher. 6ct There are Three particularly, that, among others, are known to depend either wholly, or in part, upon the Bjood : The Ftrjt is the Separation of fo many different Humours, which are either necefTary to the Body, or muft otherwife be difcharged. Secondly^ The Nourifhment of the Body. Thirdlyy The Motion of the Mufcles. Now whilft we are going to treat of the firft of thefe in its order, let no Body rhink that we defign to enumerate the various Opinions of many learn- ed Men thereupon; being contented to fhew the External Difpofition of fome, fo far as it is known; fince Men have not yet been able to penetrate all that belongs to it ; befides, it was both out of our Power and Defign too, to han- dle this Matter alone in this Place. A rough and general Account of the Ufes of thefe feparated Humours will be more than fufficient for our Purpofe, which was to convince a Sceptical Mind, that we are formed by a God abounding with Wifdom and Goodnefs. Sect. XIX. 'The Enumeration of fe'veral Humours. Now to pafs over the L^mphy which is feparated in fo many Places, the Gall in the Liver, the Juices in the Pancreas, and in numberlefs other Glands, the Humours in the Stomach and Inteftines, in the Eyes, Nofe, Ears, Mouth and other Parts ; forafmuch as there are flill different Opinions about them and their chiefefl Ufes : Can one fee that there is difcharged from the Brain fo Powerful and Spirituous a Humour, which is derived by the Nerves to all the Parts of the Body, rendering fo many and fuch important Services, and being particularly the chiefefl Caufe of all our Motions; that there exhales from the Pores of the Skin, and by Refpiration, an invifible and continual Vapour (fuppofing a Man to be in good Health) in fo vaft a Quantity, that the accurate SanBorius has difcovered, that this alone does exceed every day all the other groffer and vifible Evacuations? Can any Body believe, that it happens without a fix'd Purpofe of our Great Prefervcr, in order to continue upon the Earth the Race of Mankind in their Children, that the Materia Seminalis, for the Procreation of them, is feparated from the Blood ; and that the Milk flows from the Breafls of the Females for the Nourifhment of their tender Sucklings? Can any Body contemplate the Difpofitions of the Water-Courfes, when the Blood is feparated from its Salts in the Kidneys, without difcovering the Finger of his adoreable Creator in all thefe Things ? Sect. XX. The Paffage of the Urine, And to the end that all that has been here faid may not pafs for Decla- mation, or Rhetorical Figures, let us examine a little more clofely the Difpo- fitions that are made in the folid Parts of the Body, for thefe three jafl mcn- tjon'd Humours ; without enquiring into that great and wonderful Myflery, how each of them has acquired its peculiar Faculty or Property, which hither- to remains among the Secrets of the Great Creator. Now to pive fome Notion thereof to an unexperienced Perfon, let him fup- pofe, in tah.W. Fig. ■^. that the Blood defcends from D to u, thro* the Great 64 The Religious Thilqfopher. Great Artery D «, of the Heart j and becaufe the faid Artery at «, and in the farther proceeding Branches, grows continually narrower, that the faid Blood is forced to pafs into the Side Branches; by which means it takes its Courl'e thro' one of them, called the Emulgent Artery F, to the Kidney B, where having diTcharged its Saks, it returns by the Emulgent Vein VV, and lb proceeds by C, along the Vena Cava upwards, again to the Heart. in this Kidney (the internal Structure of which is reprefented Ta!; IV, ^'i' 4-) tl^e Humour of which the Urine is compofed, feems to be feparated in the outmoft Glandulous Subftance, A A : Do we not here, without going any farther, perceive the wonderful Operation of the Defigns of the adorea- ble Creator, who makes this Humour defcend thro' fuch narrow Veflels B B, which being collected into a kind of little Nipples, called by the Anatomifts Caruncula Papillares, do filtrate this watry Matter with its Salts into larger Membranous Veflels, c c c; which do again difcharge what they had received, tor the moft part, into two great Spaces, out of which there is made one great one, C, called the Pelvis; thro' the Orifice thereof this Liquor defcends farther into the Tube D, or the Uretery which being joined to the Pelvis, do reprefent a compleat Funnel with its Pipe, which being inferted at Y Y, (Talf. IV. Fig. 3.) in the Bladder H, makes on each fide a Veflel G Y, in order to difcharge that which is brought into it ? Two things feem to be requifite here; /r/?, that the Urine coming into- the Bladder, may be driven out of it again ,• and, fecondly, that in order to prevent Inconveniencies, it fliould not happen continually, nor without our .\yill. Nor can it be imagined, that it is without Knowledge and Defign, .t*hat there fhould be Mufcles likewife placed in the Bladder, in order to con- trad it, and force out the Water, befides the Mufcles of the Belly which could have prefled it; and particularly, that tho' the Bladder were contra- ded and drawn together, that which is contained might have burft out at e- very Orifice, if it had not been fo contrived that that Humour fliould not be able to return thro' the Orifice Y Y, by which it defcended from the Ureters G, but only thro' that Pafl'age which Nature has prefcribed it? Thus we fee that it is eafie to blow up the Bladder H, by one of its Ure- ters G Y, but it it fhould be blown by that Tube, thro' which the Urine comes out, the very Children know, that the Wind cannot pafs that way thro' the Orifices of the Ureters. And as for what relates to the fecond thing, we may obferve, that the Bladder is fortified with a flrong Mufcular Valve at the lower end of it, to prevent the Leaking of its Humour, and is fhut up by the fame till a greater Force obliges it to give way, and fufter the Water to pafs thro' it. Add thereto, that becaufe this Humour is almoft always Salt, and often Iharp, .the moft gracious Care of our Creator (to the end, that it fhould not corrode the innermofl Membrane of the Bladder, which is exceeding fenfible, :ind fo occafion Pain) has fortified the fame with a kind of a tough and flimy Moiflure againft it in the iniidQ. Sect. •♦\ J/;. 19. The Religious ^hilofopher. 65 Sect. XXI. "The Breafls of Women. The fame Wifdom appears in the adapting other things to their Ends, fuch as the Tubes of the DuBus Sali'uales, and efpecially in the Structure of thofe Dnds, by which the Gall palfes from its Bladder, and from the Liver to the Inteflines; and the Vefl'els of other Parts, where the Humours are fe- parated from the Blood. But can he, who fees no more than the little Glands A A, in the Bread of a Woman {Tab. IV. Fig, 5.) (the external Tegument being taken off) in which the Milk is feparated from the Blood j and the little Tubes b b, into which it flows, and where it is preferved, to the end, that it may in proper time be fuck'd out thro' the Nipple C, where they are open, and in which they ter- minate : I fay, can he that fees thefe things imagine, that this only part, to deduce no Arguments from all the relt, had not a Maker, who deftined it to perforin a Service fo very important to all Creatures in their moil tender Age ? Sect. XXII. The StruBure of the Se?nmal Veffels. ' Now that everyone may be yet farther convinced, that all the Parts of of our Body are with great Wifdom adapted to particular and certain Ufes ; let us go on, and confider the other Parts reprefented in Tab. IV. Fig. 3. 1. How the Spermatic Arteries P P, coming on each fide out of the Great Artery D«, do defcend to the Teflicles^ therein to difcharge the Seminal Matter which they bring thither with the Blood, the Remainder of which is carried back again from the Teflicles to the Heart by two Veins O and «, and with how many Windings and Turnings the fame afcend, may be feen on the left Side 0, where they are reprefented as flretcht out ; whilft the Arte- ry P, defcends {freight forwards in a Man, as Verheyen has obferv'd. And, that we may all fee that the Wifdom of our Creator extends itfelf to the meanefl Things, it need only be remarked, that the Arteries P P, do, for the moft part, proceed immediately from the Great Artery D u ; but that the Veins O and n, thereto belonging, do not both, but only one of 'cm^viz.. O, and on the Right, difcharge itfelf into the Vena Cava C «, whilft the Left n, is inferred into the Emulgent Vein W, becaufe it was to be feared, that as it took its way into the Vena Cava C «, the Courfe of its Blood might be obftrudted at every fwelling of the Artery, by reafon of the continual ?ulfe of the Great Artery, over which this Vein muft have neceffarily pafs'd, 'as appears by the Figure ; fo that by this Conveyance of the Blood from n ijto \V, and from W to C, (which otherwife, if it ran as at O would be fliorter) this Inconvenience is prevented by a careful Providence, and it is fully prov'd, that it intervenes in fo fmall a l\latter as the Couife of this Vein. 2. That in order to bring the Seminal Matter, feparated from the Blood . in the Tefticles, to its deftin'd Place, two Tubes, R R, or Vafa Deferentia,' ..fcend from the faid Tefticles, and carry the Seed into the VefunU Seminaks^ which 56 The Religious Thilofopher. which appear on one Side behind the Bladder X X, and there it is preferv'd till the time ot its Ufe. ^ 3. That the End of thefe Seed-Veffds is flop d by little Glands, which prevent the Matter from diftilling out of its own accord^ and yet do not ob- ilru6t the fame when Ejeftion is necefTary. 4. That in each of the Groins there is a peculiar Tube made for that purpofe, of the Membrane that lines the Belly, calfd the Peritonaum, thro' which the Seminal Veflels, or Vafa Praparamm, O P defcend, and the Se- minal Duds, or Vafa deferemia, R R, afcend -, as may be feen lab. IL Fig. I. W W. And particularly, to prevent the Inteflines from prefling mto the Scrotum or Cod, and caufing what we commonly call a Burften or Broken Belly, thefe Tubes are cover'd with a Membrane in Men-, but in Dogs, and other Crea- tures, whofe Poflure is not ereft, and confequently which are in no danger of fuch Accidents, the fame Tubes have no Covering, but are quite Open. Sect. XXIII. ConviSiiom from the foregoing Obfervations. There are whole Volumes written to (hew all the Particulars of thefe Parts only ; we fhall therefore go no further, but leave it to every one that Reads and Underftands what has been already faid, to examine himfelf, whe- ther he can believe, that in all thefe Matters about the Seed, Bladder, Breads, ^c. the Wifdom of a Creator has had no Room; and whether he can admir, that among thoufands of Differences, any one of which, in tafe all things had been produced by Chance, and without Underftanding, might have here equal- ly come to pafs, thefe only fliould have taken effed ; all^ of which are fo well adapted to fuch Great and Neceffary Purpofes ? I can't forbear faying one word here likewife to fome other Philofophers, and obferve, that Ciwcq, as we have juft now fhewn in Tab. IV. Fig. 3. the Spermatic Vein n, on the Left Side does not take the Ihorteft and moft fimple way to the Vena Cava C u, as that on the Right Side does in O; but making a Tour, does firft infert and difcharge itfelf in the Emulgent Vein W; that it is in vain to affirm, that thofe Hypothefes carry the greateft Truth with them, which appear to us to be the moft fimple, and to produce every thing after the fhorteft Man- ner ; forafmuch, as there may be unknown Reafons, as here in the Cafe of the Great Artery D «, why the Supreme Archited, in order to bring about his other Purpofes, may think fit to depart from that Method, which would otherwife be more fhort and fimple in the Produftion of that End only. Sect. XXIV. The Nourifiment and Motion of the Bloody not yet fuSy known. No w it would be time to pafs on to the other Ufes of the Blood, name- ly, the Nour/Jhment and Motion: But forafmuch as the Ways of the Great Creator are in thefe Matters, even to this time, infcrurable to us, and that the Strudure itfelf of the folid Parts are not yet fully known, but do abound with Difputes ,• we judge it more fafe to be fi!ent therein, than purpofely to offer only GueiTes and Uncertainties, or Pofitions, which are not yet fuffici- ently The Religious Vhilojopher. 6j ently received by Learned Men, how probable foever they may feem; the Adoreable God has not however ktt himfcif without a V/itncf^, to every one that feeks h."m, in numberlefs other Matters, the Certainty of v/hich, can by no means be CuMed in Qiieflion. CONTEMPLATION IX. Of the Neryesj and briefly oj the Lymphatick^ Fejfels, Glands^ and Membranes. Section L 7 he Tranfition to the Nerves. HEN we were treating about the aforefaid Separation of the Hu- mours of the Blood, it would have been proper enough to have men- tioned thofe of the Brain and Nerves, as a kind of Humours j but with refped to our Delign, the fo important Ufe thereof, the fo wonderful Texture of the whole Series cf the Nerves, which, like the Arteries for the B.ood, ferve for Vefl'els to convey thefe Humours ; they are by much too confiderable to be handled curforily, without faying fomething particular of them too. Now then, in order to convince an unhappy Philofopher, of the Perfecti- ons and wife Defigns of his Maker, nothing more Teems to be required, than to move him to look into the Enquiries and Obfervations of the Anatomiits and efpecially of IViUis and VjetiJJens, and endeavour to acquire a /uft Idea of the Concatenation of this wonderful Strudure, of the innumerable Multitude of the little Branches of the Nerves, of which there is not one that is made^ but what is of great and peculiar Service to the Body. To reprefent fomething of this Matter here, let him caft his Eyes upon Tab. IV. Fig. 6. and conlider, if each of thefe fine Branches performs its Fun- ction, (and (ome of 'em are fo very necefl'ary, that li they ceafe, they put an end to our Lives;) whether thefe Nerves that appear to the Eye of an unex- perienc'd Perfon, fo irregular and confufed, and yet in themfelves are fo well difpofed, that there is not one of ""em, yea, not the fmallefl: Branch or Sprig of 'em but has its Ufe; let him confider, I fay, whether all this can be per- formed by Chance ? He that defires to be more fully convinced hereof, lee him confult the large Figures of M.v.Vieuffens. Sect. XL Different Opinions about the Matter that pajfes thro^ the Nerves . It was well enough known to the Ancients, that all the Nerves are a kind of Veffels, thro* which a certain Matter, that dcfcGwdQd from the Brain into the Mufcles was either an entire, or at leaft a concurrent Caufe, of their Mo- tion : Becaufe, if a Nerve was cut off, obftrufted, or otherwife difabled, the O Mufcle 68 The Religious Thilofopher. Mufcle CO which it belonged, notv/ithftanding all Endeavours to the contrary, would remain without Motion. This Matter is conceived by all to be indeed fluid j but by fome "tis fuppo- fed to be a Wind or Spirit, ar.d is therefore called ihe Animal Spirits, and is believ'd to pafs thro' the Nerves with a Swittneis like that oi Lightning ; it being otherwHe impofTible to reconcile the unconceivable Quicknefs of the Motion, which we (ee performed by Creatures in fo fliort a (pace of Time, with the flow Courfe of a Liquor : Upon this Foundation, there are fuppofed to be Valves, and many other things in the Mufcles, in which Suppofitions there is Ingenuity enough^ if there were but enough of Truth too. But theie Opinions are called in Quellion ; Firft, becaufe it has been fuffi- ciently proved by Chymical Experiments, that fo very volatile a Matter is not always required towards the producing a fwift and violent Motion ; ac- cordingly, it has been feen, that by the Mixture of Oyl of ^/im/, and Salt of "Tartar, the firft of which has little, and the other hardly any Volatility in it, a ftrong and fudden Fermentation has been produced. We are taught by a like Experience too, that Salt-petre, Brimftone, and Charcoal, which are not counted among volatile things, being mingled together into Gun-Powder, have occafion'd fuch Motions, as for Swiftnefs and Force, have not yet been equaled. The fame appears from the Glafs of Antimony, which being a fixed Body, (or at leafl fo little volatile, that it is able to refift a very flrong Fire for a long time, as is well known to the Chymifls) has yet the Faculty of pro- ducing fuch great Commotions and Contradions in Humane Bodies, even fo fmall a quantity of it, that thofe who have tried, it own it to be wonderful: Others deduce the Motions of the Mufcles from Hydroflatical Laws, which therefore need not fuppofe fo great a Swiftnefs of the Nervous Juices. Secondly, the Courfe of the Nerves being now better known to the Anato- mifts, it has been difcover'd by the Complaints of their Patients, that it was probable, that a flowly moving Matter paflfed thro' the fame,- which feemed to be in fome manner more credible when it was confider'd how improper the moift Subftance of which the Brain and Nerves are compofed, appear to be for affording a free Paffage to any thing that was to move thro' them with fo unconceivable a Swiftnefs as the matter of Wind and Spirits. Sect. IIL An Experiment to prove a Nervous yuice. But particularly the Experiments taken afterwards by M^i^itms Beliim and Malphighi, feem to have put the Matter beyond Conjefture, and to prove, that there is a tough Humour (which rhey called Succus Nervofus, or the Ner- vous Juice, in oppofition to the Animal Spirits) which run thro* the Nerves. For if you dified the Bread of a Creature, in which there is flill a little Life, or that is but juft Dead, and with the Fingers of one Hand, prefs the Nerve of the Midriff in fuch a manner, that nothing can defcend from the Brain in:o it by this Veflel; and after that go on to prefs with the other Hand that Part of the faid Nerve, which is between the firft Preffure and the Midriff, fo as to drive whatever it contains forward into the Midriff j it will be found, that the Midi'iff will refume the Motion which it had loll, and con- tinue The Religious Thilofopher. dp tinue it till tiie Humour tliat was in the Nerve be quite protruded : But if you loofen the Fingers oF the Firft Hand, and admit a New Paflage to that which comes from the Brain, you will fee, after fome time, that, as foon as this New Humour reaches the Midriff, the Motion of it will be re- newed. Confult Bergerus upon the fame, P^^^ 260. And, that one may have fome folid Foundation that the Matter ot the Nerves is of the Nature of a Liquor, and not of a Spirit or Wind, the great Enquirer, Malphighi, has fliewn, that by preffing the End of the Great Nerve in the Tail of an Ox, the fame will fwell before your Finger 5 and if you make an Incifion in it, there will come out a vifcous Liquor like Turpentine. Which Experiment having been feveral times profecuted by Bergerusy and always appearing in the fame man- ner, it puts the faid Hypothecs out of all Doubt. Sect. IV. ConviElions from the foregoing Obfewations ; and an Experiment about Motion, I Would ask any Body now, that underftands this, whether it can feem credible to him, that it is brought about by Chance only, and not for any Wife Purpofe, that a Humour, which is feparated from the Blood in the Brain, is derived into every Part of the Body, by fuch an innumerable multitude of Tubes and Channels, in order to produce Motion wherever it is requifite? To fay nothing here of the Fermentation of the Food, of Nouriflimenr, and fo many other Ufes, which render the Courfe of this Nervous Juice entirely neceflary : And can it be without an End, that this Humour has one wonder- ful Property, (more we cannot reckon here with any Certainty) that it is fit- ted, together with the Blood of the Arteries, to produce thefe Motions in the Mufcles? For that the Arterial Blood does likewife very much contribute to Motion, may appear from the Experiments o( Bartholinus ; by which we fee, that a Limb or Joynt is rendered lame and void of Motion, as well when, by Bind- ing the Artery, the Blood is hinder'd from coming into the Mufcles, as when the fame is done to a Nerve. And can any one obferve this come to pafs, after fuch an amazing manner, not only in one, but in all Men and Beafts too, and fo many Wonders produced thereby ; fuch as the external Motions of Walking, Swimming, Flying ; and the internal, of the Heart, Arteries, Sto- mach, bowels, and fo many other Parts, ferving both for the Support and Procreation of Animals; and can he then afcribe all this to meet Chance and ignorant Caufes, without thinking that he will be taken by all wife Men for a blind or obflinate Fool ? Sect. V- The Nerves 0/ Hearing are extended likeivife to the Tongue. Now let a Man confider farther with himfelf, whether the Great End of our Creator, to furnifli us compleatly with every thing that is necelTary for us, does not plainly appear in the following Cafes: Firft^ That the Nerves of Hearing do diftribute their Branches to the Mufcles that move the Ear, to the end, that as foon as we are warned by the Noife which afiefts the Nerve, the other Inftrumenrs may be immediately put into a Condition of ereding O 2 the 7o The Religious Thilqfopher. the Ear, in order to liilen the better : This is obfervable in the raifing the Ears of many Creatures as foon as you fpeak or call to them ; for the fame Reafon it isy that this Nerve fends other Branches to^ the Eyes alfo, that upon the hearing of any uncommon Sound, we may prefently look about us; and like- wife, be ready, without delay, if fpeaking or calling for Help be neceflary; for which purpofe, the faid Nerve of Hearing has a Communication with thofe of the Fifth Pair, and the Parts that produce Speech. Sect. VI. 7'he Nerves of Tajiing. Secondly, That the Nerves which ferve to produce Tafi, and which, ac- cording to fi/jl/js, make a fifth and fixth Pair, do likewife lend out Branches to all thofe Inftruments that are neceflary for Maflication or Chewing, to render the Action and Tad lively and ready ; they likewife fend other Branches to the Nofe and Eyes, to the end, that in the Choice of our Viduals, we may be afTifted by the Smell and Sight : And laftly, that while all the fore- mention'd are exerted, to the end, that nothing may be wanting, other Branches are tranfmicted to the Glands for Spittle, that this Humour may be fupplied in abundance, and the Mouth and Throat moiiten'd therewith, during the Adion of Chewing and Tailing. Shc T. VII. Nerves that Operate •with or zvithout our Confent. Thirdly y Can any one fee, without Aflonifhm.ent, that Nerves, which feem to be made of the fame Matter, and maintained by the fame Food, can per- form fuch various and different Funftions? That the firft, which comes out of the Marrow of the Back, as the faid Spinal Marrow does from the fore- part of the Brain, fhould entirely be governed by our Will, in the Motions produced by it in our Arms, Legs, &c. and accordingly caufe the Mufcles to operate, or to ceafe Working; whereas the other, that have their Origin in the Cerebellum^ or Hinder-part of the Brain, do continually and inceflantly move thofe Parts to which they are tranfmitted, as long as our Life lalts, without the leaft Subje6tion to our Will. Sect. VIII. The Par-vagum and Intercoflal Nerves. We fhall give a Proof hereof, in Tab. IV. Fig. 6. which, by reafon of its Smallnefs, can only fliew us a little of it : AB is the Par-vagum, or Wander- ing Nerve, as it is called by the Ancients, becaufe it is extended to fo many Parts; by IVUiis it is called the Eighth Pair; of this, A reprefents the upper- moft Plexusy and B the following; after fome Ramifications to the Muicles of the Throat and Neck, there goes out of A, a Branch a, to the upper-part of the V/ind-pipe, there come feveral other from B, which extend themfelves to the Heart, to the Pericardium^ and to its Auricles and Blood- Veflels, and one bigger than the reft, C, which runs to the Plexus Nervofus of the Heart F; from the Plexus B, there fprings likewife the recurrent Nerve D on the right Side, and E from the Body of the Nerve itfelf on the left Side, which moves the Windpipe Eefides The Religious Thilofopher. 71 Befides thefe, there goes at «>, a great Branch to the Vein of the Lungs, and to the Heart at D, and from the Plexus Nervofus ot the Heart F, runs a Branch e, to the Artery of the Lungs, and a great many, /, to the Heart. Moreover, there pafs from this Nerve a great many Branches^, to the ! Lungs, and the Veins and Arteries, and Bronchi of the Lungs in the fame, and fome, h, to the Gullet. Finally, this fame Nerve divides itfelf into two Branches, G H, on each fide, which afterwards uniting again in I, fpreads an unfpeakable number of Branches in the Stomach; and, after having fent fome Sprigs to the Plexus Nervofus, lying in the Belly, ends there, as far as we have been able to dif- cover. The fifth and fixth Pair of Nerves (marked 5 and 6) the firfl of which does in a manner furnifh all the Parts of the Face and Mouth with Nerves, make a great Nerve by the Branches which they fend out, and which are commonly called, tho' not very properly, the Inter coflal; this, after having made a Plexus above at /, and tranfmitted out of it a Branch to the contrading Mufcle of the Gullet, proceeds forward to a fecond Plexus K, which lies in the Neck ; and after having fent out of it fome Fibres^, to the Gullet and Wmdpipr, communicates farther great Branches L, to the Plexus Nervofus of the Kearr. Again, this fame Nerve makes a third Plexus at N, and then defcends thro' the Breaft, where fome Nerves, nn, are inferred therein from the Back-bone ; and coming into the Belly, tranfmits to great Branches, PP, downwards, which makes other Plexus at ST U «, and from thence communicates Nerves to all the Inteflines of the Belly, as may be feen in W, pafling to the Bowels. To conclude ; There are none of the Entrails either in the Breaft or Belly, but what receive Branches from the two Nerves we have here been defcri- bing ; viz.. the Vagus and the Intercoftalis. Whofoever defires to fee them minutely reprefented^ may confult the famous Works of Meffieurs Willis and Vieujfens ; whofe Figures from Branch to Branch, together with the Courfe of the Nerves in the Body, before they were publifhed, were com- pared and examined by another great Anatomift, being founded upon expe- rimental DiiTedions of above 400 Bodies in the fpace of fifteen Years. One might here make infinite Remarks upon each Duft, or Courfe, of thefe Nerves ; upon their Infertions into one another ; upon the feveral Parts which receive their Nerves from the faid Branches ; upon the Plexus that appear therein, and which confift of the Concurrence of many Nerves of a different Original ; as at F, for Inftance, which is equally compofed of the Sprigs of the Par-vagum and Intercoflale ; to the end, that the Heart, which is thereby moved, mi^ht receive its Nervous Juice from the one, in cafe the other fhould fail : To fay no more, can any Body imagine, that: thefe Difpofitions have been made without Wifdom ? Sect. IX. ConviBions from the foregoing Obfervations. I Cannot forbear putting this one Queftion to a Man, that is flill fo unfortunate, as not to be able to difcover from all thefe things, the Wifdona of his Creator^ viz. Whether he can^ without trembling, confider, that all this 72 The Religious Philofopher. this great Compofition of the Wandering and Intercoflal Nerves, by which his Heart, Lungs, Veins, Stomach, Guts, Liver, Kidneys and eve- ry thing elfe, that contributes to the fupport of his precious Life, are moved, is perfornied entirely without his own Will and Concurrence? And, that there is fcarce any thing elfe left to him, beiides the Command over'thofe Nerves which ferves for its External Fundions ; whilft, in the mean time, he is not able to continue one iingle Inftant tlie Aftion of thofe Nerves by which he lives. Nor can the mod obdurate Atbeifl, oi: the /irongefl Mind, (as they love to call themfelves) find here any Evafion to fatisfie his di- fturbed Confcience, that he is not abfolutely in the Hands of another, upon whom his^ Life does continually depend ; at the fame time that he is for- ced to confefs, from his own Experience, that all the Motions contributing thereto, are produced in him, without, and againfl his Will, by Nerves, whofe Operation he can neither direftly obftruft, nor promote. Sect. X. The unhappy Condition of the Atheifis. How much more happy then is fuch a one, who from Contemplating the Difpofitioii and Stru^ure of his Nerves, and the Confequences thereof, has learned to know himfelf fo far, as to be experimentally convinc'd, that his gracious Creator has caufed all the Nerves which ferve for the fupport of his Body, for the Motions of his Heart, Lungs, Stomach, dTc. for the Circu- lation and Separation of his Humours and other Neceffaries of Life, to ope- rate for the refpeftive Purpofes, by an immediate Power ; and not only with- out his Will, but even without his Knowledge, or any Perception thereof? And who having farther obferved how many Nerves, by the wife Providence of his Maker, are l^illleft for the moving of other Members, according to his own^ Difcretion wholly ; I fay, who is there, that after having ferioufly confider'd all thefe things, does not find himfelf obliged to ufe them all to the Honour and Glory only of his adoreable Creator? Sect. XL The Nerves of the Midriff. A N D if this be not fufficient to convince every Man of the Views and De- ligns of a Wife and Merciful Creator, in the Difpofition of the Nerves, let him caft his Eyes upon Tab. IV. Fig. 7. in which he will find the Reprefen- tation of the Midriff", which we have caufed to be drawn for this purpofe only. Now to fay nothing of its Circular Mufcle A A, and another B, its Ten- dinous Part C, the Paflage D for the Gullet, and E for the Vena Cava; as alfo the Blood- Veflfels that feed it, G H I; of which every Body that under- flands their Ufes, can fay a great deal more, in order to prove the Wife De- figns and Purpofes of the Great Creator : Can any one be fo blind, who know- ing how neceffary it is, that the Motions of the Midriff fliou'd depend upon our Will, when in extraordinary Breathing, in Singing, Speaking, and other Incidents, the fame is requiiite, obferves here, that two Nerves K K, ifluing out of the Nerves of the Neck (as they do from the Medulla Spinalis) and therefore do belong to thofe that are fubje(5t to our Will, are beffowed upon the The Religious Vhilofopher^ 70 I the faid Midrift'? And when he is moreover convinced, that it is no lefs ne- 1 celTary that the great Work of Refpiration fliould be continually carried on, even whilft we fleep^ and how inconvenient it would be, that whilft Vvc are waking, if we happen to fix our Thoughts upon other Matters, we fhould be obliged every time to attend to the Bulinefs of Refpiration, and to divert our Thoughts from all other things to this alone : Can a Man, I fay, v/ithout acknowledging the gracious Purpofe of his Maker, obferve that two other Nerves, L L, are communicated to the Midriff, which (as it happens alfo to the Bowels, Heart, &c.) do continue the Motion thereof without our Con- currence, and when we le^fl think of it, and for that reafon take their Rife from the Intercoftal Nerves, which are made for that Purpofe ? Sect. XII. The Nerves of the Inteftinum Redum. The fame may be obferved, befidcs other Parts, in the Inteftinimi ReBum, which requires one Motion fpontaneous and independent ot our Will, in or- der to brmg forwards that which is contained therein ; and again, a fecond Motion, which is voluntary, in order to be exerted with the greater Force at the time of the Difcharge. The Words of the accurate Anatomifl Verheyen are very remarkable upon this Occafion : The Intejlines hanje, among others, their Neri^es of the great Plexus Nervofus tn the Mefentery, and all of them are fervkeable to the Motions perforin ed without our Will (Fundiones in voluntatis.) But the Inteflinum Reftum, and frobahly alfo that Part of the Gut that is immediately joining to it, has other Nerves from the lover Part of the Medulla Spinalis, by the help of which the Difcharges of the Belly are performed, according to, and in confequence of our IVtU. Sect. XIII. 7^^ Vafa Lymphatica. Now as the Blood which goes thro' the Arteries to the Parts of the Body is brought back again thro' the Veins, the Enquirers into Nature have like- wife aflerted, and not without great Probability, that the Humour which is feparated from the Blood in the Veins, and which is communicated by the Nerves to all the Parts, is brought back alfo by another fort of Veflels (called the Vafa Lymphatica) to the Blood, and fo performs as it were another Circu- lation. Now whether this Lymph, or tranfparent Liquor, proceeds from the fmal- lefl: Side Branches of the Arteries, in each of which at the fame time a Ner- vous Sprig difcharges itfelf, we (hall not here farther examine, but refer fuch as defire to know it, to the fecond Work of Monlieur Vieuffens: This is true at leaft, that thefe Vafa Lyinphatica or Lymphaticks are obferved to proceed from all the Parts of Creatures (the Brain excepted, that being yet doubtful) as likewife that the Courfe of their Liquor in ^^ (Tab. I. Fig. 6.) proceeds to the DuBus Tboracicus O r r, and fo to the T/ena Subclavia, u x, and other Places direfitly to the Veins ; that they have innumerable little Valves, in order to prevent the Return of the faid Liquor, and fo appear like Links of little Chains q q ; that they touch upon feveral Glands in their Paffage, or proceed y2L ^The Religious Thilofopher. proceed likewife ^-om fome. Thofe who defire to have any Notion of this Matter, may confult Tab. IV. Fig. 8. where it is (liewn how theie Lyinpha- ticks l'l L, &c. coming out ot the Kidneys B B,^ and orher Parts ol: the Body, have a Communication with the Glands F^ G, H, I, K, and difcharge themfclves into the Receptacle oF the Chyle D, in order to carry their Li- quor on to the Blood by the DiiBus .Chylicus E, which is here reprefented as ,1 cut orf and in the mean time (as we have faiu above) help to make a Stream "] for the Circulation of the Chyle. Now how unknown foever may be the true Source or Origin of thefe Vef- ■ fels, forafmuch as mofl of the Experiments have been made upon Beafts, and | defcribed from them, the Opportunities being very rare of opening Men fo quickly after their Death, in order to difcover thefe Veflels which do prefent- ly difappear, for which reafon fome principal Anatomifts have endeavoured to fliew their Courfe by injedting Quickfilver, prepared for that Purpofe, into them ; yet this at leaft is true, that they do difcharge all their Liquor into the Venous Blood, and fo render the aforementioned Service to the Chyle. Sect. XIV. The Glands. We fhall pafs over the Difpofition and Strudure of the Glands, it being Hill fubjed to too rnany Dift'erences and Difputes in the chiefeft Matters, but which perhaps may furnifh Pofterity with ntw Matter to convince the Unbe- lievers of the Wifdom of their Creator; however it appears in the mean time plain enough, that they cannot attribute it to meer Chance, or ignorant Caufes, that the faid Glands are ufeful to fo many, if not to all the Separations of Juices ; and that this wonderful and as yet unknown Efteft, is produced in their Bodies, viz,, that the Blood (which in itfelf is in a manner infipid) be- ing brought into the Glands by its Veflels, the Humours that are feparated from it in thofe Glands, are thereupon impiegnated with fo many different Tafts and Properties. Thus, that which is feparated in the Kidneys is Salt, as are likewife the Tears and the S-useat, which proceed from the Glands of the Eyes, or comes out of the Pores of the Skill ; fiom the Liver there iffues a bitter Gall; fiom the Glands of the Breads of Females, a fweet Milk; from the Glandula Salirales, Spittle, &c. Now every body knows, that upon the Obfrrudion or Ceflation of any of thefe Humours, grievous Sicknefles and Death itfelf does fometimes follow, and that almoft ail of 'em, how different foever their Nature be, are abfo- lutely neceflary to Health or Life. The Nerves likewife, and the Arreries, which carry the Blood and the Nervous Juices thereto, or difcharge them- felves therein; the Veins and Lymphatick Veflels which bring back the Blood and Lympby or what is feparated from thence, and which contribute to a Paffage or Way for the feparated Juices, where they can be ufeful in fo many particuUr Vefl'els already d.Tcovered ; I fay, all thefe things do abundantly in- ftruft us, that each of 'em are formed for a particular End, and are therefore placed exaaiy where they can be mofl: ferviceable ; the rather, fince Anato- mills have difcovered (See F^euffens in S-yo, p. 238.) that altho' there is little Motion The Religious Philofopher. 75 Motion or Senfation in them, yet, in rerpe(^ of their Bi^ntiSy more Nerves' , are found in them, than in any other part of the Body. Sect. XV. The Membranes. Much might be here faid about the Membranes, and which would powerfully fupport our Defign, efpecially if we fliould here propofe all the modern Difcoveries that feem to be only in their EinbryOy and have not yet attained their full Perfedion ; this is certain, that they have the following Ufes: 1. That they ferve to cloath or cover lome Parts, as may be obferved of the Pleura in the Breaft, and of the Peritoneum in the Belly. 2. To form Tubes and Veflels, as in the Blood, and Lymphatick Veffels and Inteftines. 3. To join or faften fome Parts together,- thus are the Inteftines fattened to each other by the Mefentery, and both together to the Back. 4. To divide Cavities into more Parts ; thus the Medtaftinmn divides the Breaft into two Spaces, under which Head we may likewife reduce the mem- branous Valves in the Heart, Veins, Lymphatick Veflels, &c. 5. Not to reckon that they are by many efteemed to be the true Inftru- ments of Feeling, and perhaps of other external Senfes. 6. There is yet a greater Service performed by them, 'uiz.. That many of 'em confift of mufcular Fibres, which by their Contradion or Squeezing, when they make Tubes or other Cavities, are proper to protrude that which is included in thofe Membranes ; as we fee it happens in the Stomach, Guts, Bladder, Arteries, and the like. ShC T. XVI The Dura Mater, or thick Membrane of the Brain. Monsieur Pacchionus (hews, that according to Anatomical and PraSii<:al Obfeivatiom, the thick Membrane of the Brain, commonly called the Dura Mater, has the fame Property of protruding the Humour feparated in the Brain 'into the Nerves ; and fmce this Membrane does inveft all the Branches of the Nerves, how many foever they be, he thinks it is very probable that by a Contradion of its Fibres (like that of the Periflaltic Motion, which hap- pens in the Inteftines) the Humour is driven forth into the Nerves ; I leave this Matter to farther Enquiry ; but if one may here mention that which feems very likely concerning it, I ftiould think, that unlefs fomewhat of that Nature did occafion the Protrufion of the Nervous Juice, fuch a Power or Faculty could not be deduced only from the Motion of the Heart ; forafrauch as the Matter of which the Medulla Spinalis and the Nerves are compofed, does not feem proper to afford a fwift and ready Paftage to fuch a tough and Tupentine-like Humour, as the famous Malpighius defcribes it to be. Moreover, it feems to be a neceftary Confequence, that in cafe the Heart were the only, or chief Caufe of the Protrufion of the Nervous Juice, a Nerve being tied or bound, as is ufual in Arteries and Veins, would fwell up againft the Band, which many who have made this Experiment complain P does y6 The Religious ^Philojopher. does not happen ; but if the Contraflion of the Dura Mater,, which encom- pafles the Nerves, does, without any vifible Afllftance from the Heart alone, protrude this Humour, every body mud own that this Penflaltic Motion^ by the Corapreflion of a String or Bandage, would be forced co ceafc ; where- upon, that which we experience would follow, viz,, that the Nerves would not be able to fwell and expand themfelves by the protruded Matter againft the Bandage. For a further clearing of this Matter, I could have added fome Pradical Cafes, which, without the Hypothefis of fuch a Motion in the Nervous Membranes, would feem unintelligible, and yet, being handled upon this Foundation, meet with the defired Succefs, after having tried feveral other Means in vain. But this is not a time to fpeak of thefe Things here ; let every one confider and refled by himfelf, whether upon feeing the known and undeniable Ufes of the Membranes, he muft not acknowledge and be convin- , ced of the Wifdom of his Creator. * Sect. XVII. T'be Flexibility of the Membranes, To fpeak fomething of this Matter : Forafmuch as it was necefTary for the Support of Life, that the Blood and Nervous Juice fiiould be carried to all the Parts of the Body, and brought back again, it was no lefs neceflary that Veflels, fuch as the Arteries, Veins, Nerves, and thofe belonging to the Lymph, fliould be formed for that Purpofe : But fince, befides this, the Body was to be moved, and that therefqre Infledions and Angles were to be made in its Joints, it feemed requifite that thefe Tubes ought likewife to be flexible, to the end that (for Inftance) the Arteries in the Arm and Hand might ferve for a Paflage to the Blood, as well when they were bent at the Elbow or Fingers, (at which time fo many Angles and Inflexions are produ- ced) as when the fame Arm or Hand being flretched out, the faid Tubes were likewife extended in right Lines. We (hall pafs by other Remarks concerning the abovementioned Glands and Membranes, having dwelt long enough already upon 'em ^ as alfo all that might have been added farther upon many other Matters, fuch as the Ligaments or Bands by which the Bones are joined together ; of the Fat, Skin, Cuticula, and the like ; thofe who have a Mind to examine into what is already difcovered thereupon, will find Caufe enough to extol the Wifdom and Good- nefs of the Creator. CON- 77 X nt to con- f his Crea- noc hardly ve have al- h will ap- le Enquiry ne Body ; ms. And, le Infertion ftly adapt- y proceed ing Power :eding fine ly of thefc f a Great las an Ex- vhom the "dom that Glory of ny others, lorel/i pub- little the ongue, or ut Defigrty / and ufe- iuccd by efs of our fcles in a e flead of not long fince. The Religious Philo/opher. 77 CONTEMPLATION X Of the Mtijcks, Sect. I. The 'Trai?Jttion to the Mufcles NOW in cafe that the foregoing fliould not appear fufficient to con- vince every Man fully and entirely, of the great Ends of his Crea- tor, and of the mod wife Manner of executing the fame ; (tho* not hardly to be fuppofed, of fuch as have thoroughly comprehended what we have al- ready reprefented to them thereof) yet, at leaft, this great Truth will ap- pear to be placed beyond the reach of all Doubting, by the fingle Enquiry only into the wonderful Compofition of the Mufcles of a Humane Body ; which Mufcles are, in a manner, the Inftruments of all its Motions. And, in cafe any Body fhould view, with an underftanding Eye, the Infertion or Faftening of the fame to the Bones (which are likewife fo exactly adapt- ed for the making of Limbs and Joints, whereby Motion may proceed without Interruption) their wonderful Contexture, and the amazing Power and Strength communicated to them, tho' confiding of fuch exceeding fine and (lender Fibres or Threads ; I fay, whoever contemplates any of thefe Particulars, muft needs acknowledge in all of 'em, the Hand of a Great and Mighty, Wife and Good Creator j the rather, becaufe he has an Ex- ample thereof in the greateft Philofophers and Mathematicians, whom the Cantemplation of thefe Wonders, and the Enquiry into the Wifdom that fhines out of them, have often compelled to acknowledge the Glory of God in thefe his Works. For one Inft ance, amongft a great many others, one need only perufe the Dedication of that Book, that Signor Borel/i pub- lifiied, about the Motion of Animals. Sect. IL Of the Mufcles in General. Now not to ask whether any Body, that underftands never fo little the Stru6ture of Mufcles, could believe, that thofe which move the Tongue, or the Hands of a Man (to mention no more of 'em) are made without Deftgn, without M/ifdom, and by Chance only ; and that all the fo necefl'ary and ufe- ful Funftions, performed by them in the Bodies of Men, are produced by ignorant Caufes ; Can it^be imagined, that the Power and Goodnefs of our Great Creator does fo far extend itfelf towards us, that the Mufcles in a Man's Foot have been adapted by him, to ferve upon occafion, in theflead of Hands ? And yet, as firange as this may feem to be, we have fcen, not long P 2 fince. 78 The Religious Vhilojopher. fince, a Man, who being born without Arms, could ufe his Feet almoft for all Purpofes, and among others, write a fine Italian Charader with the fame, as faft and as accurately, as another good Writer was able to do with his Fingers -, to fay nothing of many other of his Motions, fuch as fhuiHing of Cards, and playing therewith, and managing a good Number of them fo dexteroufly, that he could not have done it better if he had had the ufe of both his Hands : Now in cafe thofe Mufcles that move the Feet, had not been of proper Stru(aure for the like Purpofes, it would have been impofll- ble that he could have performed all this with his Feet. Sect. III. The Defer iption of the Mufcles, However, to enquire alittle more ciofely into the Structure and Dif- pofition of the Mufcles, and to reprefent the overflowing Wifdom of our adorable Creator, by fome few Obfervations upon the fame, let us contem- plate Tab, V. Fig. I, 2, 3. which will give us a Sketch of the External Stru- dure of fome ot the Mufcles, the great and principal Inftruments of all our Motions, and by which alone we exert our Strength. 1. A Mufcle then (not to mention here its Artery, Vein, Nerve, and. tymphatick Veflels, which are reprefented in 7ab. V. Fig. i. a b c tied to- gether) does confiftof a Number of flefliy Fibres or Threads B, running parallel moftly, and at equal Diftance from each other, and failen'd at Top and Bottom to a tough Body, called a Tendon, A and C. Acrofs thefe flefliy Fibres B, there run others E F, which are likewife Tendonous, Nervous, or Membranous; but as flenderas fome of 'em are, they .are all very tough, and not eafy to be.broken, and are regularly inter- woven with fleftily Fibres. Now in cafe the tendon A, the Fibres whereof are here fiiewn to be a little feparated from each other, be faflen'd to a Bone that is unmovable -,. and the other C, to one that is movable, and can yield to the bending of its Joint I and afterwards each of thefe mufcular Threads B are contrad- ed or rendered ftiorter by any Force, be it what it will ; it is plain, that the Tendon C, will draw the Bone that can follow, and to which it is faften'd, towards the other Tendon A, and fo will bend the Joint that lies between A and C. The Anatomifls are wont to call the Tendon A, which is faflen'd to the immoveable Bone, and towards which the Motion is made, the Head of the Mufcle; and the other C, faflen'd to the moveable Part, the Tail; and the flefliy Threads B, with the tranfverfe ones F E, the Belly of the Mufcle. S E c T. I V. The Strength of the Mufcles conftft in their many Fibres. 2. It appears from hence, that the more Fibres there are in B,or the Belly, of the Mufcle, which being contraded do draw, the ftronger will be rhe AaioUj of fuch a Mufcle, which is. alfo found true by Experience. Sec T.o . The Religious ^hilofopher. 70 Sect. V. Double Mufcles. 3. Now to the end that a Mufcle may exert a greater Force, it will be neceflfary, that it fhould confift of a great Number of Fibres B, which may caufe it to encreafe very much in Thicknefs, and fo fill that Plaee, in which other Mufcles, ferving for other Purpofes, might have been lodged. Can any Body then, without Amazement, reflect upon the moll ingeni- ous Manner which it has pleafed the Wife and Gracious Creator to ufe, fo to difpofe many more Fibres in the fame fpace, in order to make the Mufcle fo much the ftronger, that there fhall not be required much more Room to place thofe Fibres? viz.. by leaving to a kind of Mufcles, that are necefifary in produ- cing a ftronger Motion than others, the ufual Breadth or Space, but which they are to fill after fuch a manner as we fee in 'Tab. V. Fig. 2. in which AB C is the Head of the Mufcle or Tendon, faften'd immoveably at A, and reprefented in this Figure as cut off; ED is the Tail of the other Tendon, that draws the Joint to itfelf; and between both of *em are two artful Rows of Fibres F and G, being faften'd to ihe Head ABC, and running obliquely to the Tail E D, in which they are inferred ; from whence it ap- pears, that thefe two Rows of mufcular Fibres, F and G, being forcibly contrad- ed, the Tendon E D, and the Bone faften'd to it, which is moveable, muft be drawn towards A^ with this Advantage over that which was fhewn before, in "Tab. V. Pig. I. that here (7ab. V. Fig 2.) many more Fibres, as F and G, can be put in Aflion in the fame Space, whilft they run after this manner ob- liquely, and as it were acrofs, than when they were extended, as in the for» mer Fig. 1. dire(5lly only, and at equal Diftances from each other. Sect. VI. Mufcles yet more doubled. We may obferve again, in 'Tab. V. Fig. 3. that thefe Mufcular Threads are, after a wonderful manner, upon fome Occafions, much more doubled : A is the Head, and B the Tail of the Mufcle, the which laft B, by two Ten- donous Branches that are extended towards A, and gives an opportunity for the ranging a much greater Number of flefliy Fibres in fuch an exad Order i fo that the Fibres C and D, being faften'd to G A H, or the Head of the Mufcle, which is fuppofcd immoveable, when they are contraded in their: Length by any Force, each of them draw their Branch F, and thefe two Branches F and F, draw the Tendon B, and whatever is faftenM thereto, and is moveable, towards A ; which, if it were to be performed by Fibres running direftly or ftreight from A to B, as in Tab. V. Fig. i. would, by the great Number of them, compofe a Mufcle almoft as thick as this Mufcle (tab. V. Fig. 3 ) is long : If what we have here faid, doe^ not fee this Mat- ter in fo clear a Light as to make it fully underftood, rhe Reader may con-- fult the Demonjiration of the Force of the Mufcles S t c t XVII. Sect. VII. The Mufcles of the Fingers. 4. F o R farther Conviftion, let us make one only Remark upon fome of the Mufcles that be,Hd the Fingers 3 we will therefore confider the Mufcle AB: 8o The Religious Philofopher. A B (Talf. V. Fig, 4 ) as it is faften'd with its Head or upper Tendon near the Elbow K, and whofe moving Threads or fiefhy Fibres extending them- felves from B to A, do compofe the lower Tendon C, and this confilling of four Parts, tranfmits a Branch to each of the remoteft Joints of the Fin- gerSj wherein it is inlerted at D ; now when the flefhy Fibres A B, are contraded, the Mufcles being immoveable at K, it is eafie to obferve, that the third Joints of the Fingers D D D D, are thereby drawn towards B, and all the Fingers infleded ; the rather, it you fuppofe farther, that the Mufcle G F (which is reprefcnted hereout of its Place, and lying above upon A B) is likewife contracted in its Fibies F G, and by its four Tendons G E, draws over forwards the fecond Joint of the four Fingers. Kow let everyone ask himfelf, whether he can fuppofe that it is by meer Chance, Firfly that thefe Mufcles A B, and G F, which bend the extream- efl Joints of the Fingers, are placed fo far abov the Hand, and even as high as the Arm, and yet extend themfelves by their long Tendons C D and G E to thofe Joints which they are to move, lince, if they had lain in the Hand itfelf, they would have render'd it very unfit for an accurate eafy Handling of things ? Foralmuch as thefe Mufcles being obliged to exert a great Force, do require many flefhy Fibres, which, when they were con- traded and put into Adion, would caufe the Hand to fwell to a great Thicknefs. For, that thefe and other Mufcles, fuch as thofe defcribed by A B, do upon their Contradtion require a gieater Thicknefs, may appear to every one that upon doling with fome Force one of his Hands, and turning it into a Fifl, does with the other Hand fpan his Arm below the Elbow ; in do- ing which we will remarkably feel the Mufcles that lie there to be fwel;ed : Which thicknefs, if it were continually produced by fuch great Mufcles ly- ing in the Hand, it is plain, would, upon many occafions, embarrafs it in the Exercife of its Fundions. Secondly, Whether he muft not acknowledge, that it is a Contrivance be- yond the Power of an ignorant Caufe, that the Tendons G E, of the Mufcle F G, do make a kind of a Door or Opening at E ? by which Means the Tendons C D of the Mufcle A B, pafs like a Thread thro' the Eye of a Needle, in order to hinder thefe lafl in the numerous Motions which the Fingers make upon many Occafions from being diforder'd by Diflocation or other Accidents ; or at leaft, that the Motions of all the Tendons, lying near or upon each other, may not be fo loofe and uncertain. Ihirdlyy Becaufe there would be danger upon the Contradion of the Mufcle A B, that the Tendons C D, which goto all the Joints of the Fin- gers fiiould recede from the fame, v/hen they were bent upwards, and oc- cafion feveral Inconveniencies, by flretching the Skin too much : Can any one fee, that each of thefe Tendons is encompafled with a kind of a mem- branous and very ftrong Sheath, which, without obfl;ru6ting their Motion at all, makes it remain faft to the Bones of the Fingers ; not to mention the great Band juft above the Hand, which encircles the Arm in that Place like a Ring, and at once binds together all the Tendons of thofe Mufcles that The Religious Thilofopher. 8 r that go to the utmoft Parrs of the Fingers, preventing them upon great In- flexions fronm receding too tar From their proper Places ; I fay, can any one fee all this, without acknowledging the Defigns of a Great Creator ? Sect. VIII. Oj the Joints, The Joints of a Man neceilary to produce the Motions between the two Bones C D E, and A B, (Tab. V. Fig. 5.) are moft commonly of the fol- lowing Strudure j in the firil, C G E, there is found a large or fmaller Ca- vity C D E, in which the protuberant Part, C U E F, or 1 of the other Bone is faften'd after fuch a manner, that they can both turn and move ia each other : Now in cafe this protuberant Part, C D E F A, being Spheri- cal, or round, is exadiy adapted to the Cavity C D E, it is eafy to fee, that the Bone B A may be moved at Pleafure upwards or downwards, and on either fide ; but in cafe the faid Part, I, were not perfedly a part of a Sphere, but round and flat, like a piece of a Wheel, and then inferted into its Cavity, it is plain, that the Bone B A might be moved upwards and down- wards, but not fideways. A Motion analogous to the former, may be obferved in the Shoulders and Hip j and to the latter in the Elbow and Knee, fome little Circumftances excepted, which, in the main, do not alter the Cafe, but ferve for other Improvements. Now can the befl: Mechanift in the World compofe or put together any Joints after another manner, whereby fo great aForce,may be produced, with fo much Conveniency, and fo little danger of being diforder'd by common Motions ? Yea, we know that if one Bone turned upon the other with a fharp Point, in ufing any Force or Violence, it might prefently mifs its Support or Fulcrum in many Accidents, and the Point run the risk of being Broken, or at leafl: disjointed ; It would likewife have been impofli- ble, after the fame manner, for a Bone of any common Thicknefs, to make fo acute an Angle as the Elbow does with the Bone of the Arm ; nor could the two Bones be in fuch a Pofition, with refped: to each other, and paral- lel with the Length of a Man, as the whole Arm is, when extended down- wards on the fide of the Body, or upwards on the fide of the Head. In other Forms or Modes of Joints, befides thofe which appear in Animals, other Inconveniencies will refult from them. To prevent all which, what fafer Method can be made ufe of to pro- duce the. Motion of two Bones, than that which is reprefented mlab. V. Fig. s- nor by the extreme Point thereof, which might eafily be broken or diflocated j but by a Centre I, which you mud fuppofe to be in the middle of the fpherical Protuberance, C D E F A, of the Bone A B, or if it be cylindrical about the Line which runs length-wife thro' the Centre thereof, and of which I is the extream Point, as we fee it happens in our Joints. Sect. IX. The Infertion of the Tendons. Suppose A B, and F G, in Tah.V. Fig. 6. to be two Bones joyned together, which make a Joint at A F j now if one would bend the Bone A B, 82 The Religious Thihfopher. 'AB atH, and for that purpofe, only make ufe of the Draught and Contra- aion of the Mufcle D R E, which is immoveably faflen'd to D in the fame manner as one moves the lowell Bone of the Arm, by bending it in the Joint of the Elbow towards the uppermoft Bone or Os Humeri : Let us fuppofe firfl- that the Tendon of this Mufcle is inferred at E, or clofe to the Hand in the extreme Part of the Bone A B, we may then eafily bend thefe two Bones upon contrading the Mufcle D E, at the Joint A F : But if the Bone A B be brought to A H, in fuch cafe the Mufcle D E muft be contraded or Ihorten'd to M D; but if one proceed farther, in order to caufe the Part H to approach yet nearer to D, by the fame Mufcle, the whole Mufcle D E, which is now fhorten'd to D M, w^ill in a manner lofe its Length, and be rolled up in a Ball or globular Figure at the Shoulder D; Befides, that when the Bone A B is raifed up to A H, the Skin muft have fo much Space or Room as to cover the whole Triangle, A H D, unlefs the Mufcle were naked and loofe from the Arm, as is reprefented in this Figure. Now if this (hould happen in many Parts of the Body, and that more room {hould be taken up in the Skin, by other Mufcles that are larger, and planted in the Bone after the fame manner; and fo make larger Balls or^ fpherical Fi- gures in the Places where, by their Contraaion, they are rolled .up together, the Body would lofe its Figure at every Motion by fuch Expanfion of the Skin, and upon the ceafmg thereof and Extenfion df the Mufcles lengthwife again, the Confequence would be, that the expanded Skin would hang upon the Body like a Ba« full of Pleats or Wrinkles, to ^h^ end that it ipight have room enough in its fubfequent Motions. r t r • ' • . . *Tis true, that it feems as if this manner of Inlertion might have bceti paffed by, to preferve the beautiful and noble Strudure of a humane Body, and a Band or Ligament placed at R, to obviate the receding of the Mufcle from the Bone : So that the Body of the Mufcle itfelf being then extended no farther than to D R, a long Tendon ER, need only be flretched to E, and likewife faiten'd to the Joint at its Inflexion by the Ligament R, as is fhewn to happen in Tab. V. Fig. 4. where there was a particular occafion for it, namely that the Hand might not be burdened with too much Flefh But in fuch a cafe, it cannot alfo be denied, that if all the Tendons were faftenM to the extreme Part E, of the Bone A B (Tab. V. Fig. 6.) notwith- ftanding that they were kept down by the Ligament R, yet, by reafon of their Length, they would fill a much greater Part of the Body, and take up more room than they now do, which would not only be uoneceff^ry, but would likev/ife difplace fome other Part. _ , „ ^ Not to mention that in this Scruaure the Tendon R E, runnmg either pa- rallel with both the Bones, GF and A B, or making a very fmall and acute Anole at E with the Bone A B as long as the Angle remains fo fmall, could not be al^le'to exert much Force in order to raif^ the Bone, tho' drawn with great Violence That it falls out fo, in ob^que Draughts, the Mechanias know very well ; and the fame will eafily appear by an Experiment in Tab. V. Fi£ 7 if at the end of the Leaver B C, which can turn about an Axis in C, a Force A draws in the oblique Line B A, it will not heave up fo eafily the fame The Religious Phihfophen 83 fame Beam, to which a Weight D is hanging, as when this Force draws by a lefs Obliquity (in the Line B EJ the Beam and Weight upwards. Wliere- fore the Mufcle {Tab. V. Fig. 6.) working in the Angle D M C, on the Bone in H, will perhaps, with the fame Force, do Eight or Ten times more than at the beginning with the Angle DEC. c^^ i • j With how much more Advantage then has the Great Creator of Mankind been pleafed to dired this Infertion of the Tendons in the Bones, after fo wife a Manner that not only all thefe Inconveniencies are thereby prevented, but likewifethe Spaces, which would be otherwife filled by the excefllve Lengths ef fo greatly extended Tendons, may with much Eafe be employed in recei- ving other Parts that ferve for farther Purpofes ? ,. , t^ . For this End it has pleafed him in his Wifdom to place little Eminences at the extream Parts of the Bones, thereby to render them thicker and ftronger in that Part, and to infert the Tendons near or in the faid Emmences, oc clofe to the Joints in the following Manner : , . . Let A B and F G {Tab. V. Ftg. 8.) be two Bones, making together a Toint at A F G, which is moveable at the Point C, fo that both ot em at their Extremities i K A F are globular, and thicker than their Tubes: Now the Mufcle D E K I is inferred at I, clofe to the biggeft Protuberance ot the Bone B A ; fo that it turns about the Eminency K I, like a Rope \\\ a Pulley, if we may'be allowed to give fuch a coarfe Idea of it. Sect. X. 'this Infertion of the Tendons prevents all Inconveniencies. We need not then take much Pains to fhew, that by fuch a Method all the aforementioned Inconveniencies are removed ; forafmuch as, Firfi, the Tendon being inferred at C (Tab. V. F,^. 6.) and not at E, when contraded towards D cannot make fuch a Triangle as M C D, and confequently don t (land in need of fo much Room in the Skin for its Motion. Secondly, tne Mufcle D E K I (Tab. V. F/g. 8.) being inferred in or near the Thicknefs ot ^ the Bone in order to produce a great Velocity at B, the extreme Part Oi the Bohc'a B, fuch as from B to M ; it needs only infleft the Point I, in a very foort Segment of a Circle to K; tor which Reafon likewile the Mufcle requires very'' fmall Contra6tion; nor is it requiiite that the whole Length fhould be rolled up in a Globular Figure; and thus, the Mufcle being grown but very little thicker by fo fmall a Contraftion, the Body lotes nothing ot its Figure and Beauty; whereas otherwife, if the Tendon were inferted in the extreme Part of the Bone (as at E, Tab. V. F^g. f;) ^'^^/^^^ Body fuppo- fine the fame fliould happen in all its Parts, would for both thefe Reafons become very monftrous. Thirdly, We may likewife fee here, that the whole Length (tab V. Fig. 8.) remains free from I to B, without being filled by the Tendon of this Mufcle D E K I, and fo there is a Place left for other Parts and other Ufes. Fourthly, The Mathematicians know, that when the Mufcle at K, fix'd to the Knob or Protuberance of the Bone F A I K, per- forms its Funaion after the manner of a Pulley, the Line KC, which ex- tends itfelf from the Centre C to K, on account of the Roundnefs of the faid Knob is always nearly of an equal Length ; and therefore when the Mufcle ^ Q is 84 The Religious Thilqfopher. h contra(5led with equal Force, it always exerts the fame Strength when it proceeds to lift up the Bone AB; in which, it has been already fhewn, at Tab. V, VI, VII, there would have been a great Inequality on account of the changing the Obliquity of the Angles, had it not been for this manner of Infertion. Sect. XI. A Mufcle exerts a greater Force againft a /mailer Weight . It is true, that the Mufcle DK (Tab, V. Fig. 8.) ading with a Ihorter Purchafe or nearer the Center, as by the Diftance C K, and the Weight a- gainft it with a longer C B, the Power of the Mufcle muft be fo much greater than that of the Weight i and that it feems to contradid the Cullom of Men, in making Inftruments to raife up a greater with a fmaller Force, (ince all their late Difcoveries in Mechanics in the feveral Engines for Motion, fuch as Balances, Leavers, Pullies, Wheels, inclinM Planes, and Screws, &c. feem to have a contrary View, that is to fay, by a fmaller Power to move a greater Weight, which Weight they therefore hang upon the fhorteft Arm. But no body will be able to deny, Firft^ That in the Motion of the Muf- cles, all the Inconveniencies already enumerated, are avoided by this Difpo- fition, which requires a greater Force in the Mufcles. Secmdlyy That in the common Mechanical Inftruments, where a greater Weight is raifed by a fmaller Power or Force, the Motion of the Weight is always mudh flower than that of the Power ; and chat if it be required to raife the fame Weight with greater Velocity or Qtiicknefs the readied Way, the Power muft be applied to the fliorter Arm, and the fame proportionably in- creafed in Greatnefs only, without being obliged fcarcely to augment the Ve- locity thereof in this Cafe, which would otherwife be neceffary. Sect. XII. The Reafon luhy a greater Force is made ufe of by the Mufcles again/} a fmaller Weight. If this Matter does not appear yet clear enough to every one, let them Imagine that the Mufcle D K I (Tab. V. Fig. 8.) does by its Force move the Protuberance oi the Bone K I A F from V to K, by which means the Poinc B is at the fame time raifed to M, and therefore acquires fo much more Ve- locity than the Point V or I, upon which the Force of the Mufcle operates, as the Arc B M, or the Arm BC, is fo many times longer than the Arc K V, or the Arm K C ; and therefore the Mufcle itfelf will be but a very little con- traded, as it is plain to every one that confiders this Matter. Sect. XIII. ConviBions from the foregoing Ohfer'vations, Now can any body, that judges impartially, forbear obferving here, that; the great Force of the Mufcles which is required in exerting their Motions in zht abovementioned manner, is fo far from being a Diminution of the Wif- dom of the Creator, that, on the contrary, it ought to be an Occafion of- Thankfulnefs to every reafonable Perfon, forafmuch as their gracious Creator has been pkafed, in augmenting the Force of the Mufcles, to caufe them to operate in fo eafy and almofi infenfible a Manner;, with fuch little Contradi- ons, The Religious Thilofopher. 85 . VI. Fig. 4.) R Which p2 The Religious Thilofopher. Which is in brief thus; DX: GD : : ^: P, or the fame in Numbers; loo : 115 : : 385 : 442. 2 48. Now this Weight P, reprefents the Force of the Pkimiformar Mufcle, G V F W (TdL VI. Fig. 1.) which therefore in this caie mud be 442 Pounds. 4P. And thus we fee how the Mufcular Force, which Vv'-as augmented be- fore (24 and 25) by the jQiortnefs of the Arm of the Steel)ard, is here yec more augmented by the Obliquity of this Draught, tending towards DG ; namely^ from 385 to 442 Pounds. 50. So that in cafe the Tendon DP, were lengthened to j, and moved a- bout a Pulley there, a Weight q; muft be fufpended to it there; and like wife one of the fame bignefs muft draw the Tendon D Q^, to the end^ that by making together 884 Pounds, they may raife dire6tly, or perpendicularly, the Tendon DK, by their Oblique Draught ; whofe Force, according to the Di- rection DX, is equal, only, to 770 Pounds. 51. But if, farther, we liiou'd again remove the Weight q, as before, and raife the Tendon DG, according to the Diredion DP, with the fame Force of 442 Pounds, by the help of the two obliquely ading Powers, according to G V and G W 52. The fame Machines or Pullies occur here as before (29, &c.) (Tab. VI. Fig. 4.) and the fame Properties in all Points. 53. And it follows (32 and 33.) that the Powers GV and G W, afting ac- cordingly (TaL VI. Fig. I.) each will raife to the half of 442, or 221 Pounds. 54. As alfo, that the Force G W, in order to operate as aforefaid, muft be as many times greater than 221 Pounds, or the half of the Weight q, as G W is longer than GS ; fuppofing again (35.) that GS W is a Right Angle. 55. The Proportions of both which, GS and G W, are found, if the Angle of Obliquity SGW be, moreover, known; after the fame manner as we have Ihewn above (irom § 3 5 to § 44.) 56. That is (by the Rule 44.,) As the Radius, or 100^000 : Is to the Se- cant of the Angle of Obliquhy, SGW (or by 34) : : So is tiie Half of 242 or 221 Pounds : To the Force that mufl: ad according to G W. 57. Now, in order to difcover the Power of this laft Force, Bovelli finds {Prop. 82.) that the Angle of Obliquity, S G VV, made by the contracting of the carnous Fibres G W. with their moveable Tendon G P, is an Angle of 8 De- grees; the Secant of which (ftriking of!" the two lafi Cyphers) appears by the Tables to be 100,982 : 58. 58. And confequently, according to § 47, As 100,000, or the Radius : To the Secant of 8 Degrees, or 100,982 : : So is the Force of 221 Pounds drawing diredly : To 223 Pounds; or the Force which draws obliquely, according to G W, when It raifes the faid 221 Pounds perpendicularly, according to the Direction GS. Which in fiiort Hands thus; looooo : 100982 : : 221 : 223. 59. So then the carnous Fibre G W, e'xerts a Force of 223 Pour.ds in this Cafe when it operates fingly; and when the Pli:miformar Mufcle G VPV/, has no more th.an this only moveable Fibre G W on this fide. 60. We ^ The Religious Thilojopher. po tfo. We will riippofe it to be rcaliy fo, in order to render it more intelli- gible to unexperienc'd Perfons; and afterwards briefly lliew, how it wou*d be, in cafe there were in each half G P W, of the Plumiformar Mufcle, as many more Fibres as may be imagined. 6i. In the mean while, fince according to this Suppofition thereare two Plumiformar Mufcles, as G V P W and H Z Q_L, of which this great Muf- cle, or Deltojciesy is compofed ; and fince each Plumiformar Mufcle has two Sides, each of which (5p,) exerts a feparate Force of 223 Pounds, and joyntly a Force of 446 Pounds ; this then is the Force of the whole Plumi- formar Mufcle G V P W. 62. Thus we fee that this whole Dehoides, confiding of two Plumiformar Mufcles, or four half Sides thereof, by the Force of the Steelyard B C K (25.) does balance, by the firft oblique Draught of the Mufcular Fibres, G V, G W, and H 2, H L, a Force, or Weight, four times 223 Pounds, or 892 Pounds. So that inflead of the Force of each carnous Fibre G W, &c. there hung, fufpended, a Weight/', of 223 Pounds to each ^ four fuch Weights muft operate with the f^me Force, as the four fides of the two Plumiforraar Mufcles ; and thereby the Weight T, hanging to the Elbow B, wou*d be kept in Equilibrium. 63. Now to pafs on further to a greater Augmentation of the Force of the Mufcles, produced by the Strudure of the carnous Fibres G V, G W, Z H, H L, &c. which are moveable, and alfo produced by the Texture ol the Mufcles themfelves. 64. We find, after the niceft Scrutiny, that thefe Mufcular Fibres W G (Tab. VI. Fig. I.) have feveral little hollow Interftices ; which, whilft the Fibres are extended lengchwife, as A B C D E (Tab. VII. Fig. i.) are in- cluded within Right Lines ; but when the Power which extended thefe Fi- bres ceafes, thefe Interftices appear in circular Figures, asxu^, &c. (01 GM W, 7ab. VI. Fig. I.) (55. If now by the Fibre W G being immoveable at G, a Weight Tj fufpended to it, muft be raifed ; 'tis plain, that in performing fuch an A6ti- on, by any Force (whatever it be) the Breadth or Thicknefs of the faid Fi- bre muft be imagined to be encreafed ; and the Length, at the fame time^ muft neceffarily be diminifhed. So that the Parts A B C D E (Fig. i. of Tab. VII.) being dilated, or made wider^ do afllime the Figures abcde; by which the Length of the Fibres W G, becomes vifibly ftiortened ; viz. from W G to zu ^ ; and the Weight T, at the fame time, is raifed up to t. 66. This Tumefaftion, or Swelling of the Fibres, which cornpofe the Body of the Mufcle, does palpably appear in feveral Parts of our Bodies j and in feveral particular Mufcles, which contrad themfelves in the Exercife of their proper Functions. Let any Man, with either Hand, take hold of his other Arm juft below the Elbow, to convince himfelf, whether or no he does not feel the Mufcles R 2 c( p^. The Religious ThiJofopher. of the Arm fwelling and contrafting thcmfclvesj when he opens and fhuts- the Fingers of the Hand, which he fqueezes tliac way below the Elbow. 67. Now whether the figure of thefe long Particles, or little Tubes A B C D E (Tak VII. Fjg. 1) be round, as a b c d e ; or whether they may be imagined Square, 2iSabcde^ the better to determine their Co operation with other Fibres, we fiiall net pretend here to decide ,• it being a Matter foreign to our prefent Purpofe. dS. Neither do wc here enquire after what manner, or by what Caufes the Interftices ABC, &c. become thicker, or how they aflame the Form of .1 b f, &c. ; concerning which, we leave every Man to enjoy his own Opi- nion, till the true and certain manner thereof be clearly and incontellably de- monftrated. 69. This is certain, that each carnous Fibre, asWG, confifls of a mul- titude of little Inftruments, as AB C D E, each of which do become thicker and fliorter in Motion. 70. The truth of the laft appears experimentally from above (66.) \ it re- mains therefore to (hew thefe little Inftruments, n, b, c, d, £■,/, Oc. (Tab. VIL Fig. 2.) in each Thread, ap, where a Contradion happens (and confe- quently the Breadrh mufl be augmer.ted) are very many in Number, and the Minutenefs of each, exceeding fine. 71. Let us fuppofe, in Tab. VII. Fig. 3. rt £> to be a Fibre with Interlli- ces ', which, in its utmoft Extenfion, reaches to e, or is of the Length a e i. at the Tendon whereof a Weight q being fufpended, it is held in an Equi- librium,- but as foon 2iS a e is contrafted to a dj the Weighty is raifed to P. ^ . 72. Imagining this Fibre ^ ^ to confid but of one Machine, viz.. abcd^. it wou'd be able to raife the Weight ^ up to P j becaufe the Line a e wou^cl even by this means be contrafted to a d. 73. But that this will not anfwer the Motion of Mufcular Fibres, which we are here accounting for, appears ', Firfty Becaufe when the Machine ae is fo long, the Thicknefs^c, would be incomparably greater than vjz now perceive in contraired Mufcles. 74. For if a double Fibre a e, were two Inches long, which by Contradi- on or S'A^elling, mufl be blown up into the Circular Figure abed, the faid Circle would be 4 Inches, and its Diameter b c, above one Inch and a Qiiar- ter ; as is plain to thofe who know that the Circumference of a Circle is to the Diameter, As 22 to 7, or thereabouts. 75. We have chofen here to reprefent an extended Fibre rather by a long Line, and a contrafted one by a Circle, than by a Tube and a Globe, to which their Refemblance bears greater Affinity ;_ becaufe we wou'd render the matter as intelligible as may be to all Capacities. 7d. SeccrJ/y, If the whole Fibre confifled of one Machine only, us a be d, ^nd one fhou'd cut it acrofs at b c, the whole Fibre would at once be difa- bled from contrafting, or exerting its drawing Power, fo that it could ne- ver draw itfelf back to a, but more efpecially, if the Contraction be per- ormed by filling the Machine, or by the Expanfion of any Matter included X therein j iAB, I ' I I I iQl M I I I M M I I I I I I I I T-n' whe- whicb nd by rough- "none de- Mat— 1 Fi- s ics. Ma- ll in •rful me,, ery on, ns,. n's )n- )W The Religious Thilofopher, 9< therein ,• but In a Mufcle cut acrofs, Experienee proves a Motion or Con- jradion, even after its Fibres are cut afunder. 77. It now the Fibre confifted of two Machines, a kg m and g h di, and which fliou'd be be divided from one anotlier at ^ c through^, the iirft Ma- chine mud be contraded to a^ and the fecond to d. 78. But if t!iis fiiould happen at /c /«, the Part ^ /(:w being cut through, would not be able to contract itfelfro a; not to mention the too great Thick- nefs of km (as was obferv'd before concerning ^ c) for this would be equally contradidory to Experience as the former. 79. Hence we are taught, that (Tal;. VII. Fig. 2 ) when the Fibre is cut through at I; or 5, or k or /, or wherever it be, cdch Pare is drawn back to its Tendon to which it is faftened, that is, to a and/; ; for LiiUnce, if the Fibre be cut at g, the Machines between a and / are drawn to a ; and thofe between g and / to /? ; and thus we fee, that by this means the Cut made through any Mufcle is vifibly larger than the Kn.fe which made it. 80. From whence we may conclude, that on both Iides of the Cut, whe- ther at g, I; or elfewhere, there muft remain forne Machines unwounded, whicli» have in them a contrading Power, notwithftanding the Separation ; and by this means the Fibre is drawn inward, or contraded., after it is cut through^ in any Part. 8 1. For if either Side ihould be left deflitute of thefe Machines, fo that none were to be entire or uncut, the Confequence mud be, that that Side fo de- prived of thefe Machines, could not be in a Condition to contain the Mat- ter which is the Caufe of the Fibre*s fwelling ,• and confequently the Fi- bre could not be aduated by any Power which would draw it towards its Tendon. 82. But feeing it is fcarce poiGTible to cut a Fibre through fo near a ox p {viz,, at m or n) but that the Parts, as we find by Experience, do fhrink on both fides, as well the Ihort fide as the long, to their refpedive Places. 8;. It follows then, that how little a Part foever, fuch as a or I, be cut off from the Fibre on one fide, feeing it fhrinks back, it nuifl: necefiariiy contain fome Machines, at leaft one entire one, in it felf. 84. And confequently from hence we may plainly conclude, that the Ma- chines, whereof the Fibres are compofed, muft always be, each of them in particular, fmaller than the Part cut oflf^ and therefore of a wonderful Smallnefs. 85. From whence then it follows, that the Number, at the fame time,. of thefe Machines, if the Fibre be of any confiderable Length, muft be very- great. 86. Borelli (from whom the Reader may receive fufEcient Satisfafiion, concerning the Multitude and Minutenefs of thefe admirable Mechanifms,. Prop, w^.) maintains, that fince every Fibre is fmaller than a Woman's Hair,- each Cavity A, B, C, D, E (Tah.YW. Fig. \.) which being con- traded, forms a Machine, a, b^ c^ dy e, muft therefore be finer than the faid. Hair. ^7. Now p6 The Religious Philofopher. 87. Now if thefe Machines be as broad as long, each Fibre will contain as many of them iengchwife, as there can lie Hairs breadth-wife on the faid length of this Fibie. 88. But according to the Calculation of the faid Borelli (Prop. 115.) fifty Fibres, placed breadth-wife by one another, do not amount to the fpace of one Inch, 8p. Wherefore, according to this^ Computation, fifty of thefe Machines mull: go to conilitute a Portion of a Fibre of one inch in Length. 90. Bac for Caution fake, and to keep within Compafs, that Author does not calculate above twenty Machines for every Inch of Fibre. 91. Which Calculation we may fafely allow him ; becaufe if any one may think it more convenient to imagine thefe Machines not to be altogether as broad as long, here is room enough to humour any fuch Conjedture : For by this means, thefe Machines will have their Length exceeding their iireadth by i, 1. e. they will be more than three times as long as broad. 92. To return then to the Force of the Mufcles : There appears here, in each Fibre, a new Inftrumenr of the following Scrudure ; viz.. Firfi, We fee, in TaL VIL Fig. i. a great Machine W G, confifting of fe- veral fmallev ones, as A, Fj, C, D, E, &c. Secondljiy That they are fo formed, that each little Machine, A or B, be- ing contracted by a particular Force, into Circles or Squares, or other Figures, i. e. expanded, as at A or B, &c. or otherwife (in another Form) at a or by drc. contributes its (hare towards raifing the Weight T. T'hirdljy That being joyned, or linked, to one another at a^ by c, &c. they do likewife affifl: each other in raifing the faid Weight. Fourthly y When this Machine, xu gy confifts of more or fewer little Ma- chines, as a, by Cy &c. which operate here at the fame time, the Weight T muft accordingly be raifed to a greater or lefier Heighth (as the Number of Machines are multiplied or diminiflied) and confequently the fame Weight T, will be moved with greater or lefs Velocity : For Inftance ; il there be ten times as many little Machines, con* rafting themfelvts, the Weight T will be raifed ten times higher j and at the fame time, it will acquire ten times more Velocity. 93. All thefe Properties being fo ufeful and ncceflfary for a right Concep- tion of the Motions of the Mufcles ; and being a necefi'ary Confequence re- fulting from their Struflure ; we fhall endeavour to demonftrate them by a Machine ^adapted by Mechanifts to other lore of Ufes) which feems to have a pretty near Refemblance to the Nature and Office of the Mufcles in gene- ral, and to give the befl: Light into this Matter. 94. Let us then fuppofe a Machine ('Tab. VII. Fig. 4.) in which a Weight T, hangs at a Cord, which being wound about the Pullies i ^, i a, <&c. and iby 2 b, &c. in the manner defcribed by the faid Figure, is terminated and faftened to the Nail d, Then to each Pulley, at i ^, 2 b, 2 b, 4^, let there befufpended an equal Weight, gb?nn; which four equal WeightF, prefling altogether down- wards, the Weight T will be thereby raifed up and kept in Equilibrio. 3 05. Now The Religious Thilqfopher. p7 . 95. Now we may fee in this Machine of Pullies, all the fame Phsenomena which have been manifefted in the Mufcuiar Fibres (92.) ; namely, that the whole StrLidiire confining of many little Machines, each does, by a proper Force, bear arefpedive Part in raifing the Weight t ; which altogether uni- ted, accumulate theirPo'.vers fo as to prove mutually afTiibng the one to the orher. 96. For if the Cord be carried only from t through i rt, i ^, and termi- nating at e^ be there faflened to a Nail ; we have a Machine, which admg by the fole Power of g, raifes t. And in cafe the Cord be continued from the Nail e, on to the Pullies 2 a and 2 by and be faften'd to another Nail at/; this will be a fecond Machine afting by the Power h -^ which, if it be joyned to the firft, will help to raife the Weight t . 97. If thefe Machines and Weights be multiplied, by continuing the faid Cord farther on thro' 3 a and 3 ^ ro /, and horn thence thro' 4 a and 4^ to ^, and fo on, and a diftind Weight fufpende*d ^ each, as ?n and n i We fnali have a great Machine produced from all thefe little ones; in which the three firft things exprelfed in §92. and repeated in § 95. will occur. 98. We fee like wife, that the fourth thing defcribed (§ 92.) which feeras to be of the greateft Importance in this Mufcuiar Demonftration, does here meet with an exad Refemblance ; viz.. by how much the number of little Machines is multiplied, by fo much the more fwiftly will the Weight t be raifed up. 99. This is eafy to be apprehended by Confideration, without the Cir- cumftances of Demonflration ; for if g only ads on the firft Machine, which is fuppofed to end at e (96.) and the Center of the Pulley i b, being firft ar r, is drav/n down to 1 ^, (o that it has twice i b r added to its Length, in a determinate fpace of Time ; fuppofe in one Pulfe or Second of a Minute, the Weight t will be raifed to T, in the fame fpace of Time the h^ighth of t T, which is equal to twice i b v. Becaufe the Pulley i b being thus run down from r to i b, the whole Coid, 1 a, I by e, pafies thro" the Pullty i a; which Cord retains, as we fee, on each of the two Sides, 'viz,, on the Side 1 a i b, and on the fide i b e, the length of 1 b r y and consequently is twice the length of i b r. Now in proportion to the quantity of Cord running thro' the Pulley i a, the Weight t muft be raifed from r to T; which muft neceflarily be twice the length of 1 br> 100. If now we joyn the Second Machine, the Cord of which ends at the Nai\ /, with its particular Weight /;, it may be eafily (96.) inferred, that when both the Powers^ and /; concur in their Operation, to draw down the two Pullies I b and 2 b, from r and r, which are above (the length of i /- r or ibry which arc equal) in fuch cafe, I fay, it may be infer r'd, that four times the Length of i ^ r palfes thro' the Pulley i ay cxaftly in the fame fpace of Time ■, as may be feen by the four Cords, A, B, C, D ;' and confequently, that the Weight? will be raifed to T, the heighth of i b r, raulciplied by four, in the faid fpace of Time. 101. If pS" The Religious Philqfopher. loi. It* therefore thefc Machines and Powers, w, k, &c, were to be fur- ther mulciphed^ and ail the Weights drawn down together in one Second o£ Time, it is plain that the Weight t^ according to the number of Machines, inull alwiiys, in the fame fpace ot time, be raifed higher; and confeqi.entiy move with greater Velocity. And thus wiiat is faid (92.) concerning the Force of the mufcular Fibres, is demonllrated in this Machine. IC2. Now, {ince this Machine of Pullics operates after this manner; tho'e Vv'ho are verfed in Mechanics know that it is endow'd with the following Pro- perties. Firfiy That ahho' we take a greater number of the fcveral little Mac unes, and the Weights g,h, m^Uy that draw them, yet they, joyned all of them to- gether, will not be able to raife or poife in Equilibno a greater Weight than / or T ; which g only, operating by itfelf, couM poife the fame way. Secofidly, But the WIocify,f\vRerewith the Weight t rifes to T, will, by the Multiplication of thcfe Pullies, be proportionably augmented; viz,, by how much the number of thcfe Pullies are encreafed, by fo much fwifter will the W^eight t rife up to T. 105. To prove this, let us fuppofe the Pullies, 4^, 3 ^, 2 ^, i ^, (Tab. VIT. Fig. 5.) to be each of them brought inwards to r, r, r, r, by the Gravitation of the Weights T, T, falling down to t, t ; fo that the Pullics on each fide, to wit, I rt, 2 ^, 3 rt, 4 ilachines of a mufcular Fibre inflated or fwelled up, in performance of its Fundion; becaufe the Cord by whicli the Weight T T is fufpcnded, is raifed fo high by the faid expanfion or fwelling, and (hortned at the fame time fo much below: By this means we receive a grofs Conception of the Adion of the Fibres. 104. Since therefore the Properties enumerated (102.) are very fitly appli- cable to this Machine of Pullies, as v/ell as to every Fibre, which it is pur- pofely adapted to reprefent; it occurs, that the Sixth Obfervation fiiou'd here meet with an Application. 105. Namely, that in order to compute the Force of a Carnous Fibre, we mud, according to what has been lately proved, multiply the Force of a fing'e Machine of any Fibre, by the number of all the little Machines of the fame Fibre. 106. Now Borelli comrute.*;, (Prop. 124.) tbst each of the Camous Fibres of the DdtoideSj viz.. G W^ (Tal^. VI. F/g. i.) is two Inches in length. 107. And, The Religious Philqfopher. pp 107. And, according to § 90. each Inch contains the Number of 20 little Machines j five only (tor Exan pie fake) are marked here on the Fibre GVV i confequently the whole mufcular Fibre G W, being two Inches long, contains 40 of thefe little Circles, or rather little Globes. 108. Each of thefe little globular Machines, GM (59.) can exert a Force of 223 Pounds, towards railing T, or a Weight of 55 Pounds, which hangs at the Elbow J becaufe (by § 102, and 104.) one foie Machine, G M, can aft as much as 40 in making an Equilibrium. lop. So that by multiplying the Force of 223 Pounds (which one fole Ma- chine G M exerts) by 40, or the Number of fmall Machines in a fingle Fibre of the Deltoides, we difcover the Force of the whole mufcular Fibre GW ii. e. 40 times 223, or 8920 Pounds. no. Now lince this Deltoides is fuppos'd to confift of two Plumiformar Mufcles, each containing two diftind Sides, or Ranges, of Fibres, as G VP and GP W, in the Mufcle G V P W, as alfo H QZ and HQ L in the other Plumiformar Mufcle H Z Q L, in all four Sides (each Side here being repre- fented by a * fingle Fibre GW) we muft multiply (lop.) this Sum 8920 by 4, in order to find the Force of the whole Deltoides y which will then produce a Force equal to 35680 Pounds. 111. Now tho' this proves fuch a Force in this Mufcle, as perhaps might feem incredible to a Perfon not conceiving the Demonftration ; and tho' this Force itfelf be more than fufficient for our Purpofe, yet we fhall however fub- join the Demonftration by which BoYelli makes appear a Neceflity of even doubling this Force. 112. Viz>- It is obvious to Perfons skill'd in Mechanics, that a Cord KT (the Weight K, 7ah. VI. Fig. 6. being fufpended to one end of the Cord, the other end being at the fame time faftened to a Nail T, which renders it there immoveable) fuflains as great a Weight, or Force, by the Sufpenfion of the Weight K alone, as if it bore double the VV^eight of K. 113. This is manifefi:; becaufe the Nail T contributes as much to the draining of tlie Cord KT, as if the faid Cord KT, had another Weight, w, ;qual to K in Gravity, hanging at the other end, which is fuppofed to be car- ried round the Pulley r j for this laft Weight K may be perceived to be as well Balanced, or kept \^ Equilibrio, by the Nail T, as by the other Weight »/, ^qual to itfelf. 1 14. They who defire to fee this Matter demonflrated more at large, may :onfa;t the aforenamed Borelh^s Ingenious Tieatife, De 7mtu Animalium, in the •i/oth Chap, of the Firil; Part ; it will anfwer our prefent purpofe, if thefe Mat- ters be made merely intelligible, for the ufe of fuch as are not thoroughly '/erfed in Mathematics. 115. Now to apply this to the Mufcles {Tab. VI. Fig. i ) it is plain from what has been faid, that the Mufcles there defcribed, do reprefent a fort of I Machine of PuUies; one end of the Fibres G V, G W, Z H, HL being S faftened * F/.,'. Prop. lOi. where one Ma.iine keeps the Weight T in E^niliLrimv , an J lOo Ma- i-nes can do. no more. I oo The Religious Thilqfopher. faftened to the Tendons, VPW and 2Q.L, which adhere as immoveably to the Bones as the Cords in the Machine of Pullies do to the Nails i, di whilft the other, and moveable Ends of thefe Fibres G V, G W, Z H, H L, do each of them exert a Force ((52.) equal to 223 Pounds; or the Power of eich of thefe moveable Ends is equal to the Weight q, which is fuppofed to weigh 223 Pounds : But all thefe four Fibres operating together, will balance a Weight of 85^2 Pounds. 116. If according to § 112. this Force be doubled, the Force which this Dehoides exerts, by the Pofition of each of its Fibres, amounts to 446 Pounds ; and the Forces of all four ading together, to 1784 Pounds, befides the Mul- tiplication of this number by 40, which we are going to fpeak of, and con- cerning which mention has been made already, § 63. 117. And iince we have hitherto fuppofed, that each Fibre, in thefe De- monftrations, is endowed with one or more Machines, like GM; and for- afmuch as, according to § 102, and 104. one fuch Machine, as G M, can balance as great a VVeight as all the 40 Machines of the whole Fibre G W ; it will appear, fince the Force exerted by each Machine is equal, that in or- der to Calculate, or make an Eftimation of the entire Force of the whole Del- toides (or of the four mufcular Fibres conftituting it) we muft multiply this Number 1784 by 40, or the number of Machines in each Fibre, which a- mounting to the Sum of 71350 Pounds, is the Force which (according to § 102, and 104.) the Dehoides is capable of exerting. 118. Here this {Tab. VI. Fig. i.) may likewife ferve, in fome meafure, to demonflrate from the foregoing Principles, the Force of the Mufcles called Gltitaiy when they exert their Power, in raiiing Weights fufpended to the Heels. 119. The Ghtaus Major, which is the Mufcle we are to fpeak of, is, ac- cording to Boreilif (Prop. 83.) made up like the Dehoides of Plumiformar Parts. 120. Suppofe then B to be the Heel; d the Knee; K E F A the roand Bone in the upper Part of the Thi^h ; the Vv^eight to be raifed by the Heel B, muft, according to Borelli, (Prop. 85.) be computed to weigh 65 Pounds. 121. We perceive here, that the Shin and Thigh-Bone together (which are reprefented by B C) comprehend in length 3 1 Semi-diameters of K C, or the round Bone of the Thigh. 122. If therefore an Equilibrium be to be made betwixt the Tendon DKI and the Weight T ; the faid Tendon cannot be raifed to X, by a Force lefs than 31 times 6$, or 2015 Pounds. 123. And if this Force is to be exerted by two other Tendons, DH and D G; each of them will not only bear the half of 201 5 Pounds; but becaufe they draw in an oblique Direftion, will fo much exceed the half, or 1007}, as D G exceeds DX in length. 124 But Borelh fays, in relation to that (Prop. 83,) that the A}7gles of OhUquity XDG and XDH are each of 45 Degrees. 125. Confequently (by the Tables o^ Sines, and cafting away the five lafl: Cyphers) As the Radius, 100 : To the Secant of 45 Degrees, 141 : : So ioo7f : To 1420 Pounds. 12(5. So that each of the Tendons, DG and DH, bein^ drawn obliquely, muft be aded on as if a Weight of 1420 Pounds, like DP or DQ, were fufpended The Religious Fhilofopher, I o i fufpended over the Pulley P; otherwife their Force will not be equal to the Weight or Power which draws K D, according to the Diredicn K X. 127. And again,- at DG, there are two other oblique Fibres, G \V and G V : Thefe, to operate in like manner with the former, will each oF them contribute a Force fufficient to raife the half of 1420, viz., 710 Pounds, gra- vitating perpendicularly in the Dire6t.on G P. 128. But becaufe they draw obliquely, the Force which draws according to G W, wi.l fo many times exceed 710 Pounds, as GVV exceeds GS in length, 129. According to Prop. S^. oi Eorelliy the Obliquity of this Angle is 8 Degrees. 130. Therefore by § 58, As the Radius looooo : To the Secant of 8 Degrees, 100^52 : : So 710 : To 715/. Pounds. 131. Therefore each Fibre G W, reprefenting here one entire fide, GPW", of this Plumiformar Mufcle, mult in the cafe before us raife a Weight of 7i6-,V Pounds. 132. But further, according to Borelli's Computation (Prop. 125V each of thefe Fibres is of the length of three Inches ; confequently each contains in its Compofition 60 Machines. 133. Therefore let 7161^ (the Force found according to § 130.) be multi- plied by 60. 134. The Produft of 71^/. multiplied by 60^ or 43014 Pounds, equal to the Force which this one Mufcular Fibre GW (or even the whole fide of one Plumiformar Mufcle, to which this Fibre is fuppofed to be equal) exerts to- wards raifing up a Weight. 135. Now it being taken for granted, that the Mufcle DQP, confifls of two of thefe Plumiformar Mufcles G W P V, and H L Q^Z, containing be- twixt them, four fides : Therefore thefe two Mufcles exerting a joynt Force, will (by means of their four Sides, or four fuch Fibres asGW) exert a Force equal to four times 43014, or 172056 Pounds. 135. But feeing that this Mufcle does adhere at one end to a Bone, as if it were a Nail T, (Tab. VI. F/g. 6.) by its immoveable Tendon; and is only moveable, fo as to carry a Weight, like K, at its other end; this Force is therefore yet to be doubled; becaufe the Mufcle, by its being fafl'ned at one end, fuffers as great a Strain, as if it had an equal Weight fufpended over a. Pulley, at the other end. 137. Wherefore doubling 17205:6 (the great Force of this Mufcle) we find that 3441 12 Pounds does correfpond to the Power that the Mufculus Glutam Major can exert in performing its Fundion. 138. And this is what we take to be fuiEcient to infinuate a general Idea of thefe Matters : If any one defires 10 fee a more accurate and exad Account he may meet with more ample Satisfaftion in the faid Book of Signior Borelli. We have been more brief in this Inftance of the Glutausj becaufe we judged it a needlefs Trouble to repeat Verbatim what has been demonftrated more fully before in the Cafe of the Dehoides. S 2 13P. We I o 2 The Religious Thihfopher. 139. We might here conclude this Work, of Demonftrating the Force of the Mufcles, if feme Obje6tions did not intervene, which mignt hinder Per- fons not thoroughly skilled in Mechanics (lor whofe fake we condefcend to this proUx way of Demonftration) from acquiefcing in the Proofs that have been deduced from Mechanical and Mathematical Obfervauons: Thefe Objedi- ons therefore we fhall endeavour to obviate by iuitable Remarks or Obierva- tions 140. The firfl: Difficulty that may perhaps be fiarted, is, that in Tal;. VI. Fk. I. we have reprefented one lingle Muicular Fibre in the room of an in- numerable number of others, wiiich conflitute the whole fide of the Plumi- formar Mufcle G WP : Moreover, it feems agreeable to Obfervation, that one of thefe Plumiformar Mufcles, reprefented by G VP W, is not confined to two Plane fides, G WP and G VPj but diftufes its carnous Fibres, Pyra- mid-wifcj in great multitudes from a Point, as G, like a Vertiallum or Wheel, in the fliape of the Extremity of the inverted Pyramid, VG W : This hap- pening from all the Points, G N, &c. of the middle Tendon G D, thefe Fi- bres do in no fafhion reprefent a Plane ; but conflitute the Figure of a perfed Body, with Length, Breadth and Thicknefs. 141. In anfwer to this; to fhew that our fuppofing thefe Mufcles to con- fift of Plane fides (which is a method we have judgM moft expedient to con- vey thefe Demonftrarions to the Underflanding) does not in the leaft alter or enervate the Force of the Demonftrationsi and to prove that the fame prodi- gious Force wouM manifeft itfelf from every particular Mufcnlar Fibre, tho' the Calculation had been made from a greater number of the Fibres of a ver- ticilated Body, infi ead of the two Fibres G W and G V. Let fuch as read this confider, Firfl, that as we have only taken two Fi- bres, G W and G V, for the two fides of the Mufcle, viz.. G P W and G P V (whether folid or plane) fo likewife we have only afcrib'd half of the Force of the whole Mufcle, GVPW, to each of thefe two Fibres, as by (61.) where the Force of one carnous Fibre, ading according to § 5^. was found to be equal to a Weight of 223 Pounds; to reprefent the Force of the whole Mufcle GVPW, v/e were under an Obligation of doubling 223 Pounds; fo that the full Force of a Mufcle is reprefented by the Force of two Fibres, or 44<5 Pounds; this is the Foundation of what is to follow. 142. Now, for the benefit of unexperienced Perfons, we thus compute, that the Force of a Mufcle is the fame, whether this Force be imagined to be center'd in two Fibres, as G W or G P; or whether the Force be difiribu- tcd. amongft an infinite number of Fibres, contained in the fpace G V W P ; which Space you may imagine, if you pleafe, to be occupied by a Body con- fifting of Length, Breadth and Thicknefs, and not a mere Plane Figure. To this end, fuppofe (7ab. VII. Fig, 6.) a Weight D (not unlike Y^i^. VI. Fig.^. and § 48.) of 442 Pounds, fufpended at a Cord DOS, and fiipported by another equal Weight q. Now if we take away this Weight ^, and ba- lance the Weight D by a number of other Weights faftened to oblique Cords, G, A, P, &c. each of which bears a Weight m^ h^ g, p, n, (Jc. on this Ac- count. If The Religious Thilofopher. 103 If we now conceive the Cords to be fo order'd, that there may be imagi- ned 100 Points, like G, A, P, &c. in the length of the Cord GO, to which the oblique Cords, G W, G Q, A B, A E, &c. are faft'ned : And moreover^ that there are about each Point, as G, or A, or P, &c. not only two Cords, as here at G and A, but imagine lo to be placed round the Circle, like the Spokes of a Wheel, or VeniciVa of a Plant ; four fuch Cords we have defcribed to iflue from the Point P, viz. P V, PT, PH, PR. Laftly, let it be alfo fuppofed, that the Weights^, /;, m^n,p, are equal to one another j and that the oblique Angles, M G N, B A P, R P O, &c. which each oblique Cord makes with G O, are alfo equal, and of 8 Degrees each^ It is therefore demanded, what the Weights ^, /;, Wj &c. drawing oblique- ly, amount to? And how great a Force they muft altogether, in Conjundti- on, exert, in order to Balance the aforementioned Weight D. 143. To find this, it muft be confidered, that we have imagined the Weight D to be drawn by a thoufand Weights, equal in Gravity to one an- other : Since (according to § 142.) there are fuppofed to be 10 obliquely drawing Weights^ and alfo we have imagined 100 fuch Points as P. 144. Wherefore each little Weight^,/;, m, &c. muft raife one thoufandth Part of the Weight D; or according to (142.) a Gravity of ~z Pounds, which each was able to fuftain in the direft or perpendicular Line G O. 145. But confidering that they draw obliquely, each fuch Weight as m, muft exert a Power fo many times greater than nVa of D, or than i^„ as the Line MG is longer than N G. 146. Now forafmuch as the oblique Angle N G M, of each is, according; to BoreUi ($ J.) of 8 Degrees; therelore by (58.) if G N be 100000, GM muft be 100982 : It follows (if they operate proportionably) as GN : Ta GM: rSoT^o-. To AtV. 147. So that each little Weight, as »?, muft have the Gravity of £^,, which is the firft Pvftttlatum (142.) 148. Now the Method, by which the Power of all thefe little Weights, when they exert themfelves in order to raife D, or 442 Pounds, is to be dif- cover'^d, feems to be the plaineft thing in the World : For do but multiply the Force which one of them, as m for inftance, exerts, viz,. ~-tj by the number of all the little Weights, that is by 1000, and the Produd is the Force of them all ading together, which appears to be 44(5 Pounds ; the fame: which was demonftrated by the joint Adion of only two Fibres. 149. By thefe Weights and Pullies, you may imagine all the Power which is exerted by every fingle Fibre of a Plumiformar Mufcle, fuch as G VP W {Tab. VI. Fig. I.) to meet with a juft and analogous Reprefentation. 150. For you may obferve, that the Weight of 446 Pounds is as exafkly equivalent to the Power exerted by this whole Mufcle G V P W, when you have fuppofed it made up of a thoufand Fibres, as wliCu before, according; to {61.) we imagined it to conlift of only the two Fibres, G W and G V. 151. And from hence, by a little attention, what we have faid above, ae § 141. may appear exceedinjj plain and eafy to any ordinary Capacity: Namelyj that altho' the conftituent Fibres of a Mufcle were imagined to amount lOA. The ReJkious Thihfopher. amount to ten, or a hundred, thoufand, or the highell Number you can fup- pofe, the very Tame Force, of 446 Founds, will always, by thele Methods oi Calculation, be the Refult of the whole. 152. And to proceed yet further ^ we (hall find the Dehoides exerting the very lame Force ; tho' we fuppofe (Tah. VI. Fig. i.) to be an unjuft Repre- fencation, on the account of the Number of the Plumiformar Mufcles^ as if we imagine the Delmdes not to be confined to two, as rcprefented by G V P W" and H Z Q__Lj but contrary-wife, to be endowed with many of thefe Plumi- formar Parts; yet we (hall eafily perceive, that the Force, or Power of it be- ing calculated according to the foregoing Rules, the whole will be exadly congruous to the Power or Force already demonftrated. 153. And thus the Objeftion, which Teemed to oppofe this Hypothefis with the greateft Appearance of Reafon, vaniflies; and the Difficulties, un- der which fome might labour to conceive the poffibility of two fuch Fibres, as GVJ and G V, being able to fupport together 446 Pounds, or each of them fingly half of that Number, are quite cleared and taken away: Efpecially when it is confider'd that we have only all along laid thefe things down by way of Suppofition ; but by thefe Data however, the whole Force of the Muf- cle comes to be exadly accounted for : The Confequence proving the fame, whether we fuppofe the Mufcle coniliruted of a Million of Fibres (as in all appearance there are a vail: Number) or of only two. Let the Figure or Strufture of thefe Mufcles be what it will, this Method may ferve for a Sample to fhew by what Means their Power and Force are to be invefligated. 154. In all thefe Reflexions, viz,, on the prodigious number of Fibres ; on the curious and peculiar form of the Mufcles, which reprefent Feathers joyn- ed to a Tendon, as to a Quill (on which Topick confult TaL V, Fig. 10. where the Strudure of the Deltoides is drawn from Steno's Myologia;) and, laftly, on the prodigious and almoft incredible Force exerted by them,- in re- fleding, I fay, on all thefe things, the adoreable Wifdom of the Great Crea- tor mufl mofl fingularly manifeft itfelf. Stem reprefents the Deltoides confifting of 12 fingle Mufcles, that is C\x Plu- miformar Mufcles on each fide : And if you imagine the empty White Spaces, above and below, to be full of carnous Fibres (as Stem affirms, p. 53.) how vaft mufi the Number be conceived to be ? And as to the Force, which Stem demonflrates them to exert, according to his Form, it cannot be much lefs than he afierts. But we have chofen rather to follow BorelU in our Reprefentation, (according to Tab. VI. Fig. i.) becaufe by this means we apprehend our De- monflrations better adapted to Capacities unexperienced in Mechanics. 155. But to penetrate further into the prodigious Number of the Fibres, and to difcover, as far as poffible, the wonderful Defign of the Creator, we need only obferve (to keep to the inftance of 7ah. VI. Fig. 1.) that the two Fibres, GW and GV, are found to balance feparately, a Weight of 223 Pounds (5p.) that is jointly 446 Pounds; as they reprefent together, the whole Plumiformar Mufcle GVP W. If now, infiead of two Fibres, we fuppofe (143, &c.) this Mufcle to com- prehend 1000 Fibres; each of thefe thoufand Fibres will bear fcW of a Pound ; that is not half a Pound to each Fibre. And The Religious Thilofopher. lot And if the Number of Fibres were to be imagined greater, the Weight af- cribed to each, to bear for its Portion, wou'd prove much lefs : Or if the Deltoidesy according to 7al;. V. Fig. lo. inflead of two Mufcles comprehended fix (154-); each Mufcle could then have its fliare or burden, but | of 446 Pounds, which is not quite 150 Pounds each : Thus the 1000 carnous Fibres conftituting each Mufcle, cou'd have to its jQiare no more than rs^, or -V of a Pound. 155. Now who, apprehending this Strudure of the Mufcle, can think on it without acknowledging the Wifdom of the Creator ? Who has made the Tendons tough and ilrong enough to bear, without breaking, the Violence of the Force which they are obliged to fuffer in exercifing the Qualities they are endowed with : At the fame time, having regard to the Safety of the moft fine and tender Fibres, by laying no more ftrefs upon each of the Fibres in ics Office than it is, by the Afliftance of fuch a multitude of its Fellows, able to fuftain, without the leaft Injury. 157. For the Weight which each Fibre fuflains will be much lefs than ,', of a Pound iky) if the Number of Fibres in each Plumiformar Mufcle much ex- ceeds (as lis probable they do) 1000; which was what we fuppofed (155.) them to bi It would therefore be worth any one's trouble, to inveftigate the number of Fibres in each Mufcle, as near as poffible; not only to clear the determinate Number «f Fibres compofm^each Mufcle (which might be done by thofe who with accuracy pry intoJiflcfted Humane Bodies^ but alfo to adjuft ex- aftlv howmany of thefe Fibjs, placed bredthwife, may be contained within the Space |of an Inch. Borellhys (Prop. 115) that 50 Fibres thus placed, will feared amount to an IncH And as to the Number of Fibres in each Muf- cle, we m:iy judge from the flsih of Beads, that many of thefe carnous Fibres make but a fmall Portion of Ich Mufcular Flefh as we daily uk in Food. 158. \Ve ft all ceafe to ajiire at what is advanced in Tnk VI. Fig. i. concerning the Pofition that | here laid down, viz,, that one foie little Ma- chine, GM, of the Fibre U (and fo of tlie othet Fibre G V) is able to fupport 44<5 Pounds, when viconfider what follows. The foregoing Propofitionhave made appear that the flrefs laid on each Machine, as G M, bearing it more than its Fibre G W, will not amount to ^'e or two Ounces and a hall 159 Thus the fwiftnefs che Motion imparted to the Weight T, by the contraaion of the little Miines A, B, C, &c. {Tab. VII. Fig. i.) where each of them are drawn unto the form of «, h, c, cb'c. will not appear {o improbable^ feeing that if^ire were no Weight, fuch as T, fufpended, the conclufion {vit.. that the Fs to which T \^ fufpended, muft rife with the '^!)u'd be in itfelf the moft obvious thing in the oing Propofition, the Weight is reprefented {o • [air, can be put to no great ftrefs to bear it; : las been already declared, that the Weight of 1 fingle Fibre (which is the chief thing that can ns fuppofed by way o'i Hypothejis i for the con- 3 veniency Velocity abovementioned) World : Becaufe, by the fo fmall, that a fmgle Fibre o efpecially, con(iderin£j that 22:? Pounds afcribed (59.) 1 raife any Difficulty) is only io6 The Religious Phihfopher. veniency of conveying to the Mind fuch a juft Idea of the Matter, as may do no wrong to the real Calculacion. x u . u > u x^ r i 17 160 Now fince we have fhewed before (105?.; that tho the Mufcular Force be ever to much augmented by the multiplication of thefe little Machines ,• vet their difpoficion is proved to be fuch, that they all afting together, cou'd not'raifc the Weight fufpended to the Elbow, if it had been but one Pound heavier • and that the muliiplying thefe Machines does only ferve to encreafe, or muki'ply, the Velocity ot the Motion. ,.,,,,. , Therefore Perfons not thoroughly acquainted with Mechanics may yet fecm to queftion how it can be poflible that the Force of the Mufcles is really augmented' when the Weight which is raifed is in no wife encreafed. To anfwer this, they ought to be informed, that a really augmented Force is as much required to encreafe the Velocity of Motion, as to raife a greater Weieht with the fame Velocity : This is what all Mathematicians know. This alfo is made appear by the PuUey-Strudure (Tah. VII. Fig 4.) where the Augmentation of the Velocity with which the Weight T is raif^d, requires each time more Force and new Weights, as m, n, &c. See the 5?/; Remark, 102. 161 That this obtains in other Mechanical Inftruments, is what Mechanifts are convinced of, and what may be eafily obferved : For Aippofj (r.;^^ VI. Fa n) A B to be a Balance or a Steelyard, turning about D, and the Arms AD and A B to be equal ; as alfo, the Weights A and B : 'Tis very plain, that the faid Steelyard AB being turned into he Pofition MK, the Weight A wm run over the Arc AM, and the Wemt B over the Arc BK in the fime fpace of time; and that the Arcs being qual Parts of the fiid Circle, the Weights muft likewife move with equal V.ecity. . . Therefore if the Weight B were to balance, when its Gravity in encrea- fed thrice as much as it was, or when two eqil iVeights G and H are added to it the Weieht A muft neceiTarily be affifteoy two others ot equal Gravi- tv or have its Force multiplied by three, as e fee it has when the Weights F and F are added to it. Again, if we wou make B move with a Veloci- % three times as fwift as it had before, let tl Point B be removed to C, fo that DC may be thrice as long as DB : Wherore, when the Machine turns, and A defcribesthe Arc A M, the Weight CviU deicribe tne Arc C L, in thefame fpace of time; which being thrice great as A M, therefore the Weight C runs thrice as fwiftly as A or B. p • • ' , • But to balance this Weight C, when it mos thrice as faft as B, it is plain that the Weight A muft be multiplied by thi. or receive the Addition of two other Weights, each equal to itfelf, fuclis E and F; other wife it can- not raife up the Weight B, which, placed a:, is equal to BGH, which haDDens on the account of that Velocity, reces a threefold Augmentation. Thus the Objeftlon ftarted in § 1 60. is rented. 162 Before I conclude, tis incumbent on.^ to beg that the experienced Mathematicians will excufe my Prolixiry ;: only in the Demonftrations themfelves, but in conRiming Time 50 anfv fuch fr^j^oloiis Objeaions as mipht be ftarted bv Perfons unexperienced hefe forts of Studies ; which renders the whole too long and tedious for c:rt. Judgments. ^^' Bur .■^ im*- ^AB , yii •7 / I or ; )ei: r 'the * ave -tely i juring ! icifeit \ige ot t Co lit- LVWh ■ the Fi- Bone of Arm hang ■^. eir utmoft \ with any Arm mufl: ■eaft-Boncj end D, in n the Con- l ic at the itifftmus dorfi i\v the Arm the name ot' . are faft'ned to the Keel- es rua ft rait Bone mnil: be If one lifts up' „ one may feel fe few Inftances may nUJ.rJr! 'fUg"-^^ The Religious Thilofophef. 107 But if they'll pleafe to confider, that this Calculation is wholly devoted to the Ufe of unexperienced Peribns, and not calculated for the Taftc of nice Mathematicians, who are too well informed in thefe Matters already, to want fuch mean Helps; I hope I may obcam their Pardon. The Perfons for whom thefe Demonilrations are collected, are fuch as being unexperienced, have not habituaced themfelvcs to heap up together any condderable Number o^ Lemmata, or previous Proofs, before they come to the Matter itfelf, wiiofe Judgments cannot be informed in things ot thisNature, without enlarging the Stile, and defcribing Particulars more verbofely ; which is a Means, I have imagined, will convey my Defigns more plainly to their Apprehenfions. They that defire to view this Matter, as it is more exprefly and accurately handled and demonftrated, may have recourfe to that welldigeiled Work, De motu An'nnalum, written by the Gre.^tand Celebrated Mathematician, Borelli : whofe Principles and Obfervations we have here made ufe of; endeavouring in the mean time, to render his Demonftrations intelligible, by the concifeil and eafieft Methods we cou'd ^Itvik, to fuch as have bat little Knowledge ot Mathematical Studies. [7he End of the Demonflration of the Force of the Mufcks.'] Sect. XVI. 'The Different Comfe of the Mufadar Fibres. I N order'^'ro have a jufl and true Notion of the various and different Cour- fes of the Fibres, we lliall reprefent to you a few Indances in lab. VIIL Fig. I. where, in the Mufcle called the Dekoides A, you may obferve the Fi- bres fa{l*ned immoveably upon the Shoulder C, and to the Tube or Bone of the Arm turning to the Joint of the Shoulder at D, letting the Arm hang downwards, as it is fliewn here with all its Fibres extended in their utmoft Length. But when thefe Threads between C and D are contraded with any Force, as you may fee them in the other Shoulder at B ; then the Arm mud be lifted my*, as at B E. The Peitoral Mufcle K, being likewife here infcrted m the Breaft-Bonc, with one end of its Fibres at F, immoveably, and with the other end D, in the Tube or Bone of the Arm, moveably; it appears, that upon the Con- traction of the faid Fibres they would draw the Arm, bending ic at the Shoulder Joint forwards to the Breaif . If we view the Courfe of the Fibres in the Mufcle called the Latiffimus dorft A, A, {Tab. Vin. Fig. 2.) on each Cide, it appears that they draw the Arm downwards and backwards; for which reafon Anatomifls give it the name ot Ani'Scalptor. In the Gajierocnemii BB, which lie in the Calf of the Leg, and are faft'ned the one above, about the Knee at one end, as the other is belov/ to the Heel- Bone by a ftrong Tendon C; it may be obferved, that the Fibres run. flrait downwards, wherefore upon the contraftin^ thereof, the Heel-Bone mnft be moved backward and upwards, and the Foot downwards. If one lifts up the Heel-Bone, and lays ones Hand upon the Calf of the Leg, one may feel the Mufdes fwell and contrad themfelves in that Place. Thefe few Inftances T may The Religious Thihfopher. lo8 may fuffice to give any one a general Notion of the Motions of the Mufcks by the Defcription of the Courfe of the Fibres whereof they are compofed. Sect. XVII. Con'viBions from the foregoing Ohfervations. This wonderful Struftnre of the Mufcles feems to me of too great Impor- tance, not to place them before the Eyes of fuch as are unexperienced in A- natomy, by the two Figures of the Mufcles, as they lye upon a Human Body, before and behind. (Tal^. VIII. Fig. i, and 2.) taken from Dr. Broicn. CONTEMPLATION XI. Of the 'Bones, Section I. The Tranfltion to the Bones. O W whatever Art and Wifdom appears in what has been faid concern- 1 ^ ing the Body; and with whatever Luftre the things hereof may Ihine, how neceffary and ufeful foever all its Veins, Nerves and other Parts may be ; yet all this amazing Strudure would be in vain, and the whole Body, like a wet Sack, would cling or flick together, and confequently hardly be in a Condition to exert any one Motion with Regularity, nor yet be able to re- move one Foot out of the place it was in; (wherefore it might perhaps have reprefented an Ingenious and Well compofed Machine, but yet at the fame time would be really nothing more than a very ufekfs, weak, and pitiful Lump ) unlefs the Gracious Creator had at the fame time vouchfafed to fup- port it by the Stiffnefs and Hardiiefs of Bones, and fo render it proper to dif- charge its Funftions. Sect. II. Ithe SkuB and Bones of the Head. T Ho' the Remarks that Anatomifls have made upon Bones are numberlefs, we fhall only here produce a few of the chiefeft of 'em. And, 1. Can it be thought there was no Wifdom exerted, when we confider that the Brain being of fo foft a Matter, might have been eafily prefled and wound- ed by external Accidents, to the hazard of our Lives; to prevent the fame, it is cloathed and cncompafs'd with a hard Subflance made of Bone, which we call the Skull? , . 1 n- u r r . 2. That this Skull does not contift of one only hard Piece, but of leveral Parts j'oyned together, which may be divided by a kind ofintervening'Sutures, to the end that^they may be moveable and yielding in unborn Children, at the time of their Mothers Delivery ; for want of which, Mother and Child might both perifli. 3. That I op n Years, when k oi thofe Sutures, ut encompafs the It the Top of the er, there is found Iren is all covered may perceive the lied and clofed by ce, has yet Holes or the Medulla Spi- there are found in out, as it were in rful Inflruments of iro' which the Air h, no Child could quor or moift Food 'W great the Incon- o' the Mouth only, dering the Bones of . from Anaiomy the overed • witiht fee, no Cavity, no Gri- nd that not only for jpport of our preci- 'afe, that it may not t Defence feemed to )utward Harms- fot arried downwards ia the Ntrves to many 3f the Leg, feems to ind fecured the fame occur'd an Inconve- would remain as im- difabled from bend- t includes the Spinal- following Inconveni- livBvni The ReUgms Phihfopher. i o o g. That fuch Moveablenefs ceafes as the Children grow in Years, when it would otherwife be prejudicial, and then the principal ufe oi thofe Sutures is to maintain a Communication between the Membranes that encompafs the Brain and the Skull. We fee a great Proof thereof from hence ,• forafmuch as at the Top of the Head where the Sagittal and Coronal Sutures crofs each other, there is founct an Opening between the Bones, which in New-born Children is all covered with a Membrane, upon which^ if you lay your Finger, you may perceive the beating of the Parts in the Head; but in time the fame is filled and clofed by a folid Bone. 4. That the Skull, tho* every where of fo folid a Subflance, has yet Holes in It in all Places where it is necefiary, to afi'ord a PafTage for the Medulla Spi- nalis and Blood-Veflcls from the Brain ; particularly, that there are found in the Ears fo many Angles and Cavities, iirtificially hewn out, as it were in Bones as hard as Rocks, for the Reception of the wonderful Inflruments of Hearing, placed in fuch an order as they appear to us. 5. That there is an Orifice in the upper Cheek-Bone, thro' which the Air pafles by the Nofe into the Lungs -, and for want of which, no Child could eafily fuck, nor full-grown People themfelves keep any Liquor or moifl Food long in their Mouths. To fay no more, it is obvious enough to every one, how great the Incon- venience would be, if a Man were forced to breach ihro' the Mouth only and not thro' the Nofe. * N<^w thofe who would take the farther trouble of confidering the Bones of the H.ad in the minuteflCircumflanccs thereof, and learn from^Anaiomy the Ufes which the Dilgence of Enquiiers has hitheno difcovered; mii^ht fee that among all the Number of tliem, that there is no Parr, no Cavity, no Ori- fice, tho' ever fo fmall, but what has its neceff.iry Ufe; and that not only for the Eafe.and Well-being, but even many times for the Support of our preci- ous Lives. Sect. IIL Tl;e Back Bone. But now as the Brain is encompafs'd with a Bony Cafe, that it may not eafily beafieaed by any external Inconvenience; the like Defence Teemed to be no lefs neceffary to the Medulla i^piimhs againft all outward Harms- for thatconfifting of the foft Matter of the Brain, mufl be carried downwards in order to communicate the Spirituous Juice thereof, by the Nerves to manv Parts. ' To this purpofe a hollow Tube of Bone, like that of the Leg, feems to have been fufFicient, becaufe it might have contain 'd and fecured the fame ' againft external Violence; but on the other hand, there occur'd an Inconve nience which mufl be prevented, namely, that the Body would remain as im moveable as if a Stake were run thro' it, and be entirely difabledVrom bend- ing itfelf in any manner. And again, if Joints had been made in this Tube that includes the Spinal Marrow, fuch as are in the Elbow, Fingers, (7c. the following Inconveni- cncies would have happen'd. T 2 p,.n no The Religious Philofopher. Firft, That the Parts of this Tube making fmall Angles with each other, or being entirely bent down towards one another, the Medulla Spinalis muft have followed fuch an Inflexion, and the Courfe of the Nervous Juice would have been obflruded by thefe acute Angles; which of how great Confequence it is, is well known to thofe, who by the like Obftrudions have not only fallen into Lamenefs, but even Agues, Putrefadion and Rottennefs of the Bones, and have loft their Lives too thereby. Secondly, Tho' none of thefe Inconveniencies fhould happen, yet the Body might by fuch fort of Joints be bended forwards, and in fome manner back- wards too, but by no means fide-ways, as is plain in the Elbow and Fingers. Indeed if Articulations were to be made like thofe of the Shoulder or Hip; and that the Os P- lerved here ) by Experience only. Sect. XVI. Oyl and Water thus mingled, injinuate themfehes into the Joints. Now let the Atheift, that has never To high an Opinion of his own Un- derftanding, or the flrongeft Mind (as they love to call themfehes; ferioufiy conlider by himfelf, laying alide all Obftinacy and Paffion, whether he can attribute all this, with the lead appearance of Reafon, to meer Chance, or ig- norant Caufes -J when he fees with his own Eyes, that in order to render the Joints more fupple and moveable, and to produce fuch a mixture of Qyl and Water as would be fit for that purpofe, there are found^ in and near the faid Joints, perpetual- Springs and Fountains; out of fome of which there flows a kind of Oyl of the Marrow, (of which Mention has been made a- bove) and from others a tough flimy Humour (which the faid Dr. Clapton Haversy the Difcover thereof, calls thQ Mud lago) into the Joints, between the two Cartilages that rub upon each other. And the faid Author (hews by Experience, that it is not without juft Caufe that he names them watry Humours, becaufe he proves, that after the Evaporation of the Water, there does hardly remain the thirtieth Part of that Matter. Once again, I fay, let fuch an unhappy Infidel betake himfelf to fome Re- tirement, where he need not be aft'eded with the Shame of recanting thofc erroneous Opinions, which he has fo long and fo boldly maintained, and con- fider, whether he can believe, fince this mucilaginous and watry Humour is of fo great Service, that all this apparatus of fo many Glands as are found in the Joints, and which being comprefled by the Motion of the Bones, do, like fqueez'd Sponges, yield this Moiflure ,• I fay, whether fuch a Difpofition can be made without any determinate End : And, on the contrary, whethec he does not plainly difcover therein, the Wifdom and Defigns of the Creator. As firfi, that thefe Glands (fome of which being taken out of the Joint of the Elbow, are of the Form reprefented in TaL IX. Fig. 6. and others lying by the Knee-pan C, taken out of the Knee at ^ ^ ^, Fig. 7. with the Mem- brane bbbb) placed in fuch a manner, as not to receive any Prejudice by the prelfing of the Bones,- for which Purpofe, the Great Creator has prepa- red for them a Cavity, which encompafles and fecures them againft any rub- bing or breaking in great Motions and other Cafes. Secondly, However in iuch a manner, that when there are great Inflexions, and much Work to be done by the Joints, they may be foftly comprefled, to make them yield theic Liquor more freely, of which a greater Qiiantity is then wanted ; and when the Joints are at reft, thefe Glands may preferve more of it in them, and not {hed it in vain. Thofe who defire a more exad Account hereof, founded upon feveral Experimental Difcoveries, may have recourfe to the above-raen- tion*d Treatife from pag. 227, to />. 232. Sect. XVII. ConviEiions from the foregoing Ohferuations. Now how many Convidions of the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God may be deduced from this Defcription of the Marrow and Strudure of the Glands, U 2 may 1 1 8 The Religious ^hiijopher. may be learned from the aforfaid Author, fag. 238 whofe Words are as fol- lows : And here ive cannot forbear to ohferve the 'Vifibk and palpable Tokens and Footjieps of an Infinite Reafon, luhich, as they are deeply engraven upon the Univerfe in general, are yet fo in a much more particular manner in this wife Difpofition of Mo- tion in Animals. Nor can we ever fufficiently admire the IVtfdom and Providence of our Great Creator, who has communicated to all the Parts of thefe Beings, not only fuch a Compo/ttion, by which all the neceffary Motions and Operations, requi/ite in, them are conveniently produced ; but has moreover endowed them with fuch Advan- tages and Privileges, whereby they can both fupport themfelves, and dtjcharge their proper FunBions in the mofl eafy manner. CONTEMPLATION XII. of the Sight. Sect. I. Tranfition to the Sight. WE proceed now to the External Senfes, and among them to obferve in the firft Place the Inftruments of Sight; where it muft needs appear incredible to every one, that fuch a Number of Particulars and Circumftances as are requifite in fo great a Matter as that of the Sight, fliould have concur- red and met each other in fo fmall a Compafs as the Space that contains the Eye,, by meer Chance, or neceffary Caufes, without the leaft View or Inten- tion of the Creator. To give therefore a Brief Account of the External Difpofition of the Eye : Can it be thought to happen without Defign ? Sect. II. The External StruBure of the Eye. I. That becaufe the Eye is fo tender as to be hurt by the leaft Accident whatever, the Eye-lid may, like a Curtain, be drawn over it with unconceiva* ble Swiftnefs upon the approach of any Danger, for the Security thereof,- and at the time of Sleep, to hinder the Operation of Light upon it to the breaking of that Reft which is fo neceffary to it. And again, that with the fame Swift- nefs for the Admiflion of Light, the Eye-lid can be lifted up and folded toge- ther, for which End it is provided with particular Mufcles. 3. To the End, that the Eye-lids may not hang loofe and flabby upon the Eyes, and that their Motion may be the fwifter, they are provided with a Cartilaginous Bow, which is accurately and nicely adapted to the Convexity of the Eye. 3. That the Eye is encompafled on all fides by Bones, to defend it from all outward Harms : Forafmuch as by the leaft preffure the Figure of it would be changed, and (not to mention the Pain or Smart) the Sight would be greatly dif- Tab. In ^J'B' ^ Kgr- y Fie- The Religious Thihfopher. ii^ diforder'd. If any body doubts of this, let a Man {hut one of his Eyes, and prefs the other gently with his Finger, and he will prefently be convided of this Truth by the different Appearance of vifible Objetts. 4. The Strudure of the Eyebrows, which are provided with Hair, to pre- vent the defcending Sweat of the Forehead from running into the Eyes. 5. To the end that the external Membrane of the Eyes may not be dryed up, and wrinkled by the Air, and fo not only the Motions of the Eye-lids, but likewife the Sight itfelf obftrudted ; that there are Glands placed in one Cor- ner of the Eye, and over it, which by feveral little Tubes, fhed a continual Moifture upon the Eye, tomake it fmoothi and to fecure the Membranes from too great a Drynefs. 6. And to the End, that the Countenance fliould not always appear Weep- ing and coverM with Tears, that there are Paflages contrived, by which this Humour at the ufual Times can be difcharged into the Noftrils. And the fame Humour in extraordinary Occafions, being changed into a flood of Tears, wc are then much more fenfible of the Courfe of them into the Noftrils. 7. To the end that we may not be obliged continually to turn the Head. to different Objeds ; there are different Mufcles faftened to the Eye, that in an inftant of Time do fuflice to turn it on all Sides. 8. That no part of this Mufcular Structure fhould be in vain, the Eye is made in a manner Globular, to turn indifferently in a Cavity adapted to it ; the back Part of which is lined with Fat, to render the Motion fmoother and quickero Sect. III. The Properties of Light. ^ If all this be not fufficient to convince the moft obdurate Atheift,^g^Yg^g'| go on to contemplate with us that which follows, and we do not q^ &. ^q but he will be forced to own, that the moft fecret Laws of Opticks a. .^ r 1 thematicks muft have been known to him that formed the Eye, befor could have produced fuch a wonderful Machine. .1 Now it will be neceffary to (hew fome of the Properties of Light, to fuch as are unexperienced in the aforefaid Sciences; to the End, that they may, have a tolerably clear Conception thereof. It is therefore well known, 1. That the Light either of the Sun or of a Candle K, (Tab. X. Fi^, i.) (to give an Example thereof) falling upon the extream Part or Point of a Needle, render the fame vifible to an Eye at C, C, C, &c. and R, wherever it be. So that it appears from thence, that the Light diftiifes its Beams, PC, ' PC, &c. fpherically, towards all fides, or rather like a round Ball; and therefore, that in the whole upper Superficies of the faid Ball, as C, C, C, R, &c. no Point can be taken, to which fome Ray, as P'C, is not extended, fuppofing the Eye at any of the Points, C, C, C, &i:. or where -ever elfe it is placed in that Sphere. And that this is each time performed in a ftralt Line, may be obferved from hence ; that a dark Body S, placed between the Eye at R, and the Point P,.„ in the Right Line P R, hinders the Eye from feeing the faid Point P. 2. This continual Scattering or Separation of the Rays, PC, PC, &c. from, each other, is called Diverging : And thus we fee, that all the Rays of Li^ht PC, PC, &c, with refped to one another, when they proceed from the faid Poiri^i. r2D The Religious Philofopher. Point P, are what the Learned call Divergent ; as on the contrary, thofe Rays, .for inftance, that flow from leveral Points, C C, &c. and by the help of Burning- Glades, or other Optical Methods, are compelled to run into a Point P, SLte C2i\i'£d Convergent. 3. It follows from this Divergency (Tab. X. Fi^. 3.) that if from all the Points, as A, N, L, M, B, of the Line A B, (or rather from fo many as there may be in the whole Line A B) the Rays fall upon another Line S T ; that the Rays flowing from all the Points of A B, to each and (ingular Point of the Line S T, cannot be extended without an apparently great Confufion. 4. Wherefore, in cafe the Rays Diverging after this manner, fhould fall direftly upon that Part of the Eye where the Sight is to be formed, the Rays proceeding from each Point o^the vilible Objeft A B, would fufficiently fill the whole Superficies of the Place, and fall into great Confufion among one another, as may be feen at S, T, O. 5. Now 'tis a known Law of Opticks, that in order to fee an Objed dil^inftly, all the Rays coming from a Point thereof (as from B for inftance) rauft be collefted at the Bottom of the Eye in a Point b (and fo fuch as come from A, and other Points of the faid Objeft, in fo many other Points again, as ^, &c.) thus forming upon the Bottom of the Eye at a b, the Pidure or Image of the Objed AB,- but inverted, or upiide down. 6. Now fince this cannot happen unlefs the Rays, which, according to the Natural Courfe of Light, proceed from the Point B divergently, or wider each other, are aga:.. m^de Convergent at the Point by it has pleafed the Creator to determine the Motion of Light, with refpeft to the Medium^ -r thro' which it pafl'es, by other Laws, by which He brings this id to pafs. Sect. VI. Concevning RefraBion or Breaking of the Rays. ^ HESE Laws are thofe which in Opticks are known by the Name of tiefraBion (that is the breakings or rather the bending of the Rays of Light) and the Appearances thereof are as follows : 1. When Rays pafs from one Medium or Tranfparent Matter, fuch as the Air, for inftance, into another, as Water, Glafs, Chryftal and the like, whe- ther it be denfer or rarer. 2. When they fall upon the latter with any Obliquity; for if they fall at Right Angles, or Perpendicularly, we find they pafs diredly through, and arc not broken, or bent at all. Sect. V. An Experiment of Rays pajjtng from Air into Water. I F you defire to fee this experimentally, fet a Candle in a dark Room (Tab. X. Fig. 2.) upon a Table, and an empty white Bafon N K L M, at a little Diftance from it, in fuch a manner that the Shadow of the Brim M L, of this Bafon, may extend it felf from M to D ; when it will appear, that the Ray AMD, which feparates the Shadow at D from the Light, is the laft Ray that falls on the enlighten'd inward Part of the Bafon N B D. Then The Religious ^hilofopher. 121 Then lay a Ihining piece of Money E (for inftance a Shilling) juft within the Shade, fo that the Edge of it may approach very near to D ,• you muft take care next to fix that piece of Money in fuch a manner, that it may not remove from its Place ; and laftly, fill the Bafon up to B C with Water j then you will find that the Shadow will not extend itfelf farther than to F, and the Shilling E will lye out of it in a perfed Light : So that now H F is the laft Ray that feparates the Light from the Shadow. Now it is plain, that from A to F there can come no dired Ray A F, becaufe it is ftopt by the Bafon at P. And yet you fee the Light proceeding from A to F. From whence it follows, that as the Ray moved diredly in the Air from A to H, inftead of proceeding ftrait forwards to D, it is broken and bent, and makes an Angle A H F, at the Superficies of the Water H, and fo runs from H to F. And thus you have an Example, how a Ray A H, pafling through a thin- ner Medium, fuch as Air, into a thicker, as Water, is refraEied or broken ; and in fuch a manner as to bend towards the Perpendicular Line G H Q, which makes a Right Angle upon the Superficies B C, where the different Mediums of Air and Water are feparated from each other. Sect. VL An Experiment of the RefraEiion of Rays paffiif^g from Water into Air* N o w to fhew the Appearances of a Ray paffing from a denfer or thicker Medium, to a rarer or thinner, as from Water to Air: Lay the faid Shilling E, in an empty Veffel N K L M (Tab. X. Fig. 4.) fo that one that ftands at A S, may be juft hinder'd by the Brim of the Veffel L M, from feeing the Money at E: Forafmuch as from E to the Eye A, no dired Ray A E can proceed, by reafon of the Interpofition of the faid. Brim M L. Then fixing the piece of Money E, to the Bottom of the Vefiel in fuch a. manner, that it may not be removed by pouring in the Water, let there be Water poured into the Veflel as high as B C : Whereupon he that i^ood at A S, and could not fee the Shilling before, will perceive it very clearly, as- if it was at F. Now it is plain from all this, that the Money really lay at E : and that it could not be feen by any dired Ray E A. And yet it was clearly feen at F. From whence it follows, that it muft have been feen by the Refradion," or bending of the Ray E H, which, inftead of running directly to T, makes the Angle E H A, and fo reaches the Eye A. Which (becaufe we are wont to imagine that we fee nothing but what lies in a right Line, extended from our Eye to the Objed) k^s this piece of Money as if it lay at F. And to prove that it only happens thus by the aforefi^id Refraftjon, let another Perfon be placed at I O, whofe Eye I, is not able to fee the Money E, while it lies in the empty Veffel, the Brim of which, N K, intercepts the direft Ray 1 E ; and yet when the Water is poured into it, he will fee the fame lying at P, by the help of thv Ray E R I, refraded at R : So that the 122 Tloe Religious Thilofopher. the faid Money will appear to the Eye A, removed from E to F, but to the Eye I, removed from E to P; and thus two contrary Motions will be pro- duced : And in like manner, ii there were a whole Ring of Spectators about the VefTel, each one would fee the Objeft in a different Place. From hence it appears, that a Ray, E H, is refraded in pafTing from a denfer Body, as from Water, into a rarer, as Air ; and that it does not run direaiy from H to T, but to A, and fo is fomewhat infleded from the Per- pendicular Line G H Q. Sect. VII. An Experiment j Jhewing that Rays falling at Right Angles are not RefraSied. I T is likewife plain, that a Ray falling perpendicularly from one tranfpa- rcnt Medium to another, fuffers no Refraftion, (as the aforc-mention'd Ray did, which came upon it obliquely) if you look upon the aforefaid piece of Money E, lying in an empty Vefl'el, thro' a narrow and perpendicular Tube D U, whilft it lies diredly under it ; after which, fill the faid Veflel with Water up to BC, taking care that the Money remain in the fame Place, and the Tube in the faid Pofition, thro' which the Money will be feen jufl as it was before : Whereas, if you look at it thro' the Tube lying obliquely in the Pofition H T, the Money will not be feen at E, as in the empty Vef- felj forafmuch as, in order to fee it again after the Water is poured in, the Tube muft be brought down from H T to HA, by reafon of the Refra- dion of the Rays : This is what every one may try, as well as we. Sect. VIII. Divergent Rays made Convergenty and forming an inverted Image, From thefe two Laws there does not follow a General Rule, which, as appears by innumerable Experiments, is always obfervable in the Motion of the Light, viz.. that {T'ab. XI, Fig. i.) the Rays B H, BH, Diverging from a Point B, may, by Refradion, be infleded towards each other, and become again Convergent in a Point b. I. When they pafs from a rarer Body into a denfer, which is Convex and Spherical j and, 2. When they fall upon an Objeft of the like Figure, from a thicker to a thinner Medium. For inftance, let K F be a Glafs polifh'd on both fides, and each fide of K M F and K N F be Convex and Spherical : Now when the Ray B H comes upon it from the Air, it will not proceed to R, but be infleded to- wards the Perpendicular GH, and take its way according to H P; but in pafTing from the faid Glafs P, into the Air, it will not proceed to S, ac- cording to HP J but receding from the Perpendicular Line P Q_, purfue it.s way to b. And this happening to all the Rays, which fall from B upon the Glafs between HH, they will all be united again about the fame Place at ^, on- ly the middle Ray BMN ^, becaufe it falls every time perpendicularly up- on the Glafs, runs diredly forward, ard without being refraded. So that in cafe we fuppofe {7ab. X. Fig. 3.) that at S T, a Glafs is fo pla- ced, as that the Rays pafTing from A to «, from B to^, and from the other Points, The Religious Vhilofopher. 123 Points, N, L, M, to n, /, w, be united together, they will make Sit ^ a an in- verted Image of the Objed A B. Sect. IX. An Experiment jhewing the fame. Let thofe who have a mind to fee a very eafy Experiment hereof, plaoc one fingle Candle in a Chamber at Night, and retiring fome Diftance from it, let them caufe its Light to pafs thro* a Spedacle-Glafs upon a white Pa- per : Whereupon, having likewife fettled the Diftance between the Glafs and the Paper, they will fee the exad Picture of a Candle inverted upon the faid Paper. That is, at the Place h a, where all the Rays coming from each of the Points of the Candle, at A B, are collefted in fo many other Points by the ;:wo Refra(9:ions, which (as in Talf. XI. Fig. i.) they fufFer thro* the Spe6ta- cle or Burning-Glafs, convex on both fides, and fo form the above- mentioned Image. Sect. X. A Second Experiment in a dark Chamber, There is another way of proving the fame by the famous Experiment of a dark Chamber j which is made thus : You muft make the Chamber as dark as you can, leaving a round Hole in a Window, fomething fmaller than the Circumference of a Speftacle Glafs ; then place fuch a Glafs exaftly before the Hole, taking care that the Light has no other Paflage into the Room. Now if you hang a white Cloth or Paper at a proper Diftance before the faid Glafs, fo that the Rays that proceed from every Point of the Objefts may each of them be coUeded into its correfpondent Point, you will per- ceive that the Images of every thing that is without the Chamber will be painted in the moft perfed manner upon the faid Cloth or Paper, according to all its Lineaments and Colours, efpecially if the Sun happen to fhine upon the external Objefts, and the Glafs be in the Shade ; as it happens when, for inftance, the Sun is in the South, and the Window in which the Glafs is, ftands towards the North, fo that none of the Sun's Rays come diredly upon it. Sect. XL ConviBions from the foregoing Ohferuations. Now fince it is the Property of Rays that proceed from a Point, to be diverged and fcattered from each other, and that they muft be made to con- verge, or be united in a Point again, in order to form the Pidure of an Ob- jed, and thereby to make us fee it diftindly : Can it be conceived thac all thefe Laws concerning Light, all this Difpofition made in the Eye (how fmall foever it may appear lo an ignorant Perfon) and all the other neceflary Circumftances obferved therein ; I fay, can he believe that all thefe things have concurred in fo little a Space, as that wherein the Eye is placed, with- out any Defign or Wifdom of the Creator ? X HCT. 124 -^^^ Religious Fhilofopher. Sect. XII. The E)e is a Dark Chamber. Now to rcprefent this Matter to every one's entire Satisfaftion, and to convince him, that the Images of vifible Objects are really painted upon the Bottom of the Eye by the Light, aker the fame manner as in the above-mention'd dark Chamber by a Convex Glafs ; he need only take (thus I find the Experiment to have been made in the Year 16^6) the Eye of a newly killed Ox, while it is warm, (fee 7nb.^\. Fig. i. CGRH) after having divefted it of its Flefh and Fat, and left nothing remaining but the Membranes and Optick Nerve ^ then about b or rt, behind in the Eye, let there be a fmall Hole made with the Point of a fliarp Knife, in the Mem- brane in which it is involved -, and moreover a little round piece, of about a Finger's breadth, cut out with fine po?nted Sciffors, leaving it faften'd oiily at Xj fo that the Eye may be held by the Part here reprefented at Xf, and fo the Orifice C C N direded which way one pleafes. Then placing the Flame of one Candle only, lighted for that purpofe, in a dark Room, before the Eye at A B, you fhall lee the exa£t Pidure of the fame inverted very plainly at ab, and reprefented burning upfide down. But that this Experiment may be made as it ought to be, care fhould be taken not to hurt a very fine and tender Membrane, including the vi- treous Humour behind at ab: For whereas you otherwife fee the faid Humour itfelf tranfparent and naked, fome Light may perhaps appear, but the Image will not be fo well reprefented. However, upon fuch an occafion, which eafily happens, one may cover the naked vitreous Humour behind at a b, with a very fine white Paper ; by which means you will fee the exaft Form and Motion of the Flame, and alfo the Top of the Candle itfelf, accurately drawn upon it. It is more convenient t6 try the Experiment after this manner, than to place the Eye before the Hole of a dark Chamber, in order to admit thereby the Images of the external Objefts : It is likewife performed this way with much lefs trouble. For one may eafily fee this way, i. That the Eye being brought nearer to the Candle, the Picture is drawn fenfibly larger ; and if removed farther from ii, it becomes fmaller again. 2. That upon moving the Candle to- wards the Right, or Left Hand, the Pidure goes in a dired contrary Mo- tion. . From whence it feems probable, that our Great Creator makes ufe of thefe Means, to the end, that by increafing or lefiening the Images formed in the Eye, we may judge of the Diffanceof Objeas by their apparent Great- nefs, or oi their Greatnefs by their apparent Diftance; as He likewife makes knowp- to us the Motion of Things that are remote from us, by the Mo- tion of their Images. For that rhefe Images are not formed in the Eye, without making fome Impreflion upon the Membranes thereof, feems deducible from what a Man feels, \yho has been any time in the Dark, when he fuddenly returns into a great Eighty and opens his Eyes to look about him, Jj E C T » The Religious Thilofopher. 1 25 Sect. XIII. No Images by Divergent Rays] Having thus far Ihewn that our Eye is a real dark Chamber, this Truth does likewife occur to us, namely, that fuch Images of an Objeft AB, cannot be formed upon the Bottom of the Eye at a by by Rays, which, for inftance, flow from the Point B, fo long as they are Divergent, as at BC, BC; but that it is abfokuely necefl'ary for that purpofe, that they fhould be bent again towards each other by Refraftion, in order to be collected into a Point by and there to form the Image. Sect. XIV. T/j? Tranfparency of the Tunica Cornea. N o w to reprefent only fome few of thofe Circumflances, which may ferve for Convidion, without embanifTing a Reader not well skilled in Anatomy with the different Number of Names given by the Learned to the Membranes of the Eye> of which fome Anatomifls reckon only three others 4,5,6, 7, yea, 8 and 9, as you may fee in Verheyen; Let us fuppofe the little g.obular Body, G C HR (Tab. XL Fig. 2.) to be the Eye. Now no Body will conteft with us, Firfiy That in cafe all the Membranes which encompafs the Eye were opaque as well as thofe that are in the other Parts of the Body ; by reafon of their want of Tranfparency, the Light would be able to get little or no accefs to the Eye. Can it be then fuppofed to be without Defign, that notwithftanding that the whole Eye is encompaffed round about with an untranfparent Membrane, G RH (which Ihews itfelf likewife externally, as the White of the Eye) yet, at that place where the Light falls upon it, at NCC, there Ihoiild be found afphcrical, thin, bright, and very tranfparent Membrane, fuch as the cleareO: Horn or Glafs is, in order to afford a PafTage to the Light; and which is therefore called the 'Tunica Comeay or Horny Membrane ? Sect. XV. the Aqueous Humour. Secondly^ Now in cafe the Rays of Light, BC, BC, coming out of the Air, and from the Point B (for example) and having pafled thro' this Mi-m- brane GNCH, fhould again meet with the fame Air pkced in the Cavity of the Eye, GSDTHCG; as it happens in the Cavities of the Ear, where fuch Air is neceffary, they would proceed to diverge or feparate themfelves from each other, and fo be unable to form an Image at by which is requifite in order to fee the Point B diftindly : Will any one again pretend, that it is without Wifdom and Defign, that this Space GSDTHCG is filled with a Liquor that has all the neceffary Qiialifications in k, viz.. that it is, Firfi, entirely Clear and Tranfparent for the Reception of Vifion. Secondly, that it is thicker than Air, and about the Subflance of Water ; for which reafon 'tis called the Aqueous or IVatry Humour. Thirdlyy that it is convexly round, as appears by the external Figure of the Eye. From whence it appears plain, that both the Rays, B C, BC, divergent from B, cannot proceed forwards to gg; but by the Laws of Refradion, mufl be infleded towards each other, and purfue their way to D D, according to the Lines C D, C D ? X 2 Sect. 126 The Religious Phikfopher. Sect. XVI. The CryflaliiHe Humour. Thirdly, Now if we fhculd fuppofe that ihefe Rays, according to CD, CD, ihould again proceed diretdy to dd, ve ilioiild at the fame time find that they would either no: at all run into a Point, or at kaft into fuch a one as lies very far behind the Eye. From whence it follows, that there mud be a new Refradion to infled them again towards each other, in or^er to make them meet at b, or in a much nearer Point. Now, in order to make this happen very exadly, another Body, S DTES, isneceflary; which is, /r/?, Tranfparent, y^'co/z-i/)', Thicker than the Aqueous Humour, and, thirdly, in fome meafure Convex. And here again we find all thefe required Circumftances to come to pafs in fuch a manner; for the very opening of an Eye, may convince every Body, that the lad mentioned Humour SDTES, is not only clear, but likewife of a thicker Subftance than the Aqueous, for which reafon 'tis called the Cryflal- line, and reprefents rather a folid Body than a fluid, and, which is yet more, it \^ Convex at S D D T. Thefe are therefore the Means that hinder the Rays proceeding, as CD^ CD, from paffing on diredly to d d, and force them, according to the Laws of Refradion, to infled themfelves a fecond time towards each other, and to take their way to D E, D E. Sect. XVII. "The Vitreous Humour. Fourthly, Again, if thefe Rays had purfued their Courfe flrait forwards to ee, they would indeed have met again at the Point k, but that would have been too far behind the Eye; and they falling upon the Bottom of the Eye, would have taken up too much room at w« «; and the fingle Point of the Ob- Jed B, would have been here reprefented with a great Superficies, m «, which happening thus thro' all the Points of the Objed A B, the Rays of feveral different Points lying near each other, would have flruck the Bottom of the Eye in the fame place, and fo have produced a confufed Image, and therefore confufed Vifion. He that does not conceive this eafily, may reprefent to himfelf, firft, with a proper Exadnefs by the help of a Convex Glafs, placed at ST, in a dark Chamber (Tab. X. Fig. 3.) the Pidure ah, of an Objed A B upon a white Paper r s; and then removing the Paper from r s to p q nearer to the G\2i{s S T, he will perceive the Confufion of the Pidure, for the Reafons that have been juft alledged. Therefore to prev^ent this in the Eye (Tab. XI. Fig. ^.) it was neceffary, that a fecond Refradion fkould be made, whereby the Rays might be colled- at the Point b, inflead of the Point k. That this may happen after the bed and mofl commodious Manner, the Cryfialline Humour S T, mud be again Convex at S E T, and that which fol- lows at S G RH TES, thinner of Matter, and likewife tranfparent. Now The Religious Philqfopher. 127 Now all thefe Particulars do occur here again j fince the ChryfialUne Humour (as you may obferve, if you take it out of the Eye) is not only a Convex behind at S E E T, but much more fothan in the Fore-parB of it S D D T ; the whole Cavity alfo of the Eye SGRHTES, behind the ChryfialUne Humour S T, is quite full of a very clear and bright Humour, about the Confiftence of melted Glals, or, according to others, of the White of an Egg ; at leaft, it is of a thinner Subft ance (which is necellary here) than the Chry- ftalUne Humour, and therefore 'tis called the Vitreous Humour. This being fo, they that underifand the foregoing, mu(t likewife know that the Rays coming from D E, can't pafs directly thro* e io k -, but being again broken at E, mull be bent towards each other, and purfuing their way according to E b^ E hy mud be united at b- Sect. XVIII. How the Image is formed in the Eye, and ConviElions from the foregoing Obfervations. Fifthly, Having thus fhewn, how the Rays diverging from the Point B of the Objea A B, mu ft meet at the Bottom of the Eye in a Point ^; if you fuppofe that thofe Rays which come from every other Point of A B, are likewife after the fame manner colleded in a viiible Point of ab, you will alfo fee after what manner the abovementioned Images are formed.by the Light, upon the bottom of the Eye, as it were in a dark Chamber. Now can any thing more be required by thofe who (incerely fearch after Truth, towards a Proof of the v, ifdom of the Creator, than this wonderful- Strudureof the Eye, and thefe InHeftions of the Rays repeated three times after one another j which, if they had been otherwife fcatter'd or feparated, would not only have been unfit in their own Nature, by reafon of fuch Diver- gency, to have formed an exad Image, but even produced a Motion which would have been diredly oppofite to what the Sight required ? Sect. XIX. Several Remarks ; Firfi, that the Eye is Black within. We might make innumerable Obfervations upon the wonderful things that are to be found in the Eye ; as, i. That the Eye muft be dark within, in order to reprefent the Images as flrongly as is done in a dark Chamber, , and is it not fo ? even fo far, that its Membranes or Tunicks, are in a great meafure, and for this very purpofe, of a Blackifh Colour : Can fo neceffary a Quality as this refult from Chance ? Sect. XX. 7he Second Remark ; 7hat the Cryflalline Humour is a Micro/cope : And ConviElions from thence. 1. T o the end that the Images fhould be nice and accurate, ought there not to be in the Eye a tranfparent Body, Convex on both (ides, and rhe moil Convex part undermoft ? And do not both thefe Qiialities occur in the Cryflal- line Humour, which has the form of a polifhed fpherical Glafs before and behind, as likewife all its Properties? For, if you take this Humour out of the Eye of a newly killed Beaft, and hold it before a burning Candle, and a piece of white Paper behind it, yo-i 128 The Rehgtous Thlofopher. you will fee upont the Paper as exadi; an Image of the Flame inverted, as if the fame were, projeded or made by a Glafs : Or place the fame before your •Eye, and the Head of a Pin, or any other little thing, clofe behind it, and if you look thro' it, you will fee the very fame Appearances as thro* a real Microfcope, which isHkewife made Convex on both fides for the fame purpofe. Did ever any one pretend to fay, that a good Microfcope had acquired its. Figure, its Tranfparency out of a dark or opaque Matter, and its Difpo- fition of being fo ufefal, without any Defign of the Perfon that made it ? How therefore can it be atferted of this Humour, where all thofe Qualities •are found in a more eminent manner? Or could the beft Artificer in the World, produce fuch a thing from Bread, Flelh, Fifh, and other Food ? Can then an unhappy Philofopher difcover neither Art nor Knowledge therein, after having obferved the like Appearances, not once only (which might have happened by chancej but in fo many Millions of Eyes, both of Men and Beafts ? Sect. XXI. ^he Third Remark; Upon feeing at fever al Diflances : An Expert' mem thereupon. 3. O N E may yet farther fee by the Experiment in a dark Chamber, that the Diftance of the Objed A B (Tab. X. Fig. sJ from the Paper r j, and from the Glafs S T, ought to be certain and limited to form a diftind Image at ^ ^ : So that the Paper being held at p q, nearer to the Glafs S T, or at d e, farther from the faid Glafs, if the Objeft A B and the Glafs ST remain in their place, the Image will be very confufed ; becaufe the Rays coming from each of the Points A and B, are not colleded in the Point a and h, but inftead thereof, take up a great fpace at p and g', or/;^and^,- fo that thofe iwhich. proceed from different Points muft thereby be mix*d together and confufed. From whence it appears, that no Images can be rightly and truly formed, when the Colledion of the 'Rays that come from A or B, are made at a or b; the place of CoUedion a ^, being either Hefore the Paper, which is then at <^:«, or behind the Paper, when at pq. . JAgain, we likewife fee if the Objeft A B is further 1 from the Glafs ST^ -or-the Glafs itfelf is rounder than at the time when.a diflind Image was formed thro' both of them at rt^, the exad.Image will fall cloferto the Glafs, as for inftance, at pq; and therefore the Paper muft, for this reafon, be brought forwards from rs to pq, and nearer to the Glafs. The contrary happens, if the Objed A B be brought clofer to the Glafs S T, or if the faid Glafs be not fo Convex as we at firft fuppofed it ; for then the exad Image will not be found, unlefs the Paper be removed back- wards to de, and the Oiftance thereof from the Glafs rendered greater. Now, notwithftanding that all thefe things come to paCs in our Eyes, yet would our Sight, for all this great Apparatus, be of little ufe, and wholly imperfeft, with refpeft to the Objefts that are near us: So that, for inftance, one who fees an Objeft diftindly at the Diftance of a Yard, would not be able to diftinguifh the fame, either :5t the Diftance of half a Yard, or .a Yard and The Religious Thilofopher. 120 I aitid half, or any otherwife, farther or nearer, unlefs the means above mention'd were ufed in the Chamber of our Eye, viz,, either by making the Roundnefs of one of the Humours more or lefs Convex, or the Diftance between the Chryflalline Humour, and the Bottom of the Eye (which fupplies the place of the Paper) greater or fmaller, according as the nearnefs or remocenefs of the Objeft requires it. If this fliould not be fafficiently intelligible to one that has not been verfed in. Optical Experiments, let him in a dark Chamber make ufe of a flatter or more convex Glafs; or to fpeak in the Language of the Glafs-Grinders, of younger or older Spectacles, and of a greater or fmaller Diftance of the Ob- jed ; and Experience, after a little attention, will render the thing plain enough to him. Now, to apply all this to the purpofe ; Can any one, without being ado- ni(h*d at the VVifdom and Goodnefs of his adorable Creator, obferve that not only one of thefe Means (which was enough alone) but both togethec are found in the Eyes ? For when an Objed is far from the Eye, and there- fore (Tab. XI. Fig. 2.) the Point ^ or ^ (where the Rays proceeding from a Point A or B converge, or are gathered together) does not reach the Bottom of the Eye X w, but falls nearer to the Cryftalline Humour S T ; a conFufed Image, as has been faid before, would thereby be formed at the Bottom of the Eye, but no diftind Viiion ; fo, that to- prevent the fame, it is necefla- ry that the Biftance between the Bottom of the Eye X »;, and the Cryjlalline fiumoiir S T, fhould be fmaller ; or (if the Diflance between them remain as it was) one of the Humours of the Eye fliould be rendered lefs Convex, to caufe the Image to fall farther, 'vlz,. at a b. Now we find that to bring both thefe things about together, the four Mufcles of the Eye, EF G H (7^^ X. Pig. 5:.) feem to be neceifary to move the fame (as any one of them is contraSed, and fo made fhorter than the refl) upwards and downwards^, and to the right and left i and when they aft altogether they draw the fore-part of the Eye^ as likewife the Cryflalline Humour, backwards, diminifliing in fuch manner the difl:ance between it and the Bottom of the Eye j but particularly, it is likewife plain, that they make the external Figure of the Eye, which is very Convex and Globular, much flatter, and fo caufe the colleded Rays to fall more backward;, in order to reach the Bottom of the Eye. Now that the Rays coming from an Objeft, and falling upon a flatter Glafs, do paint the Image further backwards than when the Glafs is more Convex, has been already fhewn in the Experiment of a dark Chamber. Now if the Objeft {Tab. XI. Fig. 2.) be too near the Eye, and the Col- ledion of the Rays coming from the Point B, does not happen upon b, but upon ky behind the Bottom of the Eye X W2 ; it is plain enough, that to pre- vent it, the contrary mufl: be effeded, nam.Jy, that the Space between the CryftallineYi\xmom and the Bottom o. ihe Eye X;^; fhould be made the greater ^ or (the S^.ice remaining the fame) the AqHeom Humour of the Eye, at Mc c\ fomewhac rounder. For i^o The Religious Thilojopher. For that a rounder Glafs forms the Image fiiorcer and nearer to itfelf, may be experimentally proved with great eafe m a dark Chamber. Now to perform both thefe Operations at the fame time, the Anatomifls produce two Muftles at 1 N K M {Jab. X. Fig. 5.) which they call ob- lique Mufcles ; and which, when concraded, do each of them draw the Eye on its fide; but when chey work together, they draw the Eye as it were with a girting Rope, and fwelling up, prefsit on all fides ; by which means the Aqueous Humour being made protuberant, the Eye becomes rounder at N C C {Jab. XI. Fig. 2.) and the Vitreous Humour being preiled backwards, the Diflance between the Bottom of the Eye and the Cryflalline Humour is rendered greater. I know very well that fome Learned Gentlemen do not think that the peculiar Ufe of thefe Mufcles, for this purpofe, is yet fully afcertained, till it has been farther proved ; but we (hall not let ourfelves into this Difpute at prcfent, no more than we fhall enquire whether thofe only have hit upon the Truth, who maintain, that the Fibres G S and H T (which the Ana- lomifls call Procejjus CtUares) have a quality of caufing the CryftalUne Hu- mour it felf (when ever it is neceflfary) either to change its Figure, that is to fay, rendering it more or lefs Convex ; or of bringing it nearer and re- moving it farther from the Bottom of the Eye. However, the one or the other of the Operations above-mentioned, feems to be experimentally felt in the Uneafinefs, or fometimes even in the Pain, which the Eye fuffers, when we ufe any Fo.ce to fee an Objcd that is far from the Eye diftindly, or to read a Writing a little too near. But this is inconteftibly true, that the Eye does fomething in the viewing of things that are placed at feveral Diflances from it, without any Concur- rence or Knowledge on our part, which the greateft Mathematicians have not yet been able to bring about by their Inftruments cf feeing ; the Difpo- fition of which, as the diflance of an Objed is notorioufly 'greater or fmal- ler, muft likewife be alter'd. And this is fufficient to convince us (tho' we know nothing of the manner how it happens) that there is a God, by whom we are made, and who had a wife End and Defign in forming the Eye, as it here appears. Sect. XXII. 'The Fourth Remark ; Upon the Opening and Shutting the Black of the EyCy or Pupil, with an Experiment proving the fame. Fourthly J I f this great and wonderful Strudture of the Eye, by which we are enabled to fee fo eafily and diftindly, at fo many and fuch different Di- flances, be not yet fufficient to convince a Sceptical Enquirer of the Wif- dom of his Creator, let him proceed farther, and in the lail place (fince, if we take notice of every thing concerning the Eye, that alone would re- quire a whole Book) to contemplate with us that which follows : Firfi, That if the Hole in a dark Chamber be made fo fmall as to admit but too few of the Ray«;, the external Images would be reprefented imper- fectly without the nectffary Force and Livelinefs. Secondly, fher. 121 ^ the Entrance of too much i and impcrk6t Kr ochet required tor thac Hole or d, to the end, that every .imber of the Rays be nei- Hible the finding the juft CO thofe who make Telef- ing, isi but too well known I dark Chamber ; and it is ays render the Sight of an white Paper, which Hole tf the Eye, called in Latin^ ie6t are admitted into the ifpecially in a place where iarbled Paper, in which 1, that if it be held clofe t thro* the aforefaid little much fewer than if they )f the Pupilla without this ;, that the Colours of the nd darker thro* the little admit too many Rays, as ark Place into a clear and count, the Adion of Seeing derful Wifdom and Mercy fuppofe, that what is done their Optical Inflruments, :he Direftion of the Great Man himfelf in whom it IS infinitely exceeds the jht to the higheft degree of Fig. a.) thro* which the xle in the Membrane (ac- :, Grey, or any other Co- ye, becomes in a healthy greater in a fmall Light ; ; Circumftances of things feen this will readily be- experimentally, let him be Light, or place him in a Cham- The Religious Thilofopher, 1 3 1 Secondly, IF the Hole be To great as to admit of the EntraiKC of tao much Light, the Images would appear yet more weak and imperFett Kr other Reafons. So that there is an cxa.ti Proportion required lor that Hole or Space, thro' which the Rays are to be admicted, to the end, that every thing may have Its proper Energy ; and that the number of the Rays be nei- ther too great nor too fmall : And how much trouble the finding the juft Proportion of fuch Holes or Openings occafions to thofe who make Teief- copeSj Microfcopes, and other Inftruments for feeing, is but too well known by thofe that have had the trial of it. The fame thing happens to the Eye, as being a dark Chamber ; and it is. eafie to difcover experimentally, that too few Rays render the Sight of an Objett weak, if you make a Hole with a Pin in a white Paper, which Hole fliall be much fmaller than the little black Circle of the Eye, called in Latin^ the Pupil/a I and thro* which the Rays of the Obj^Q: are admitted into the Lye. Now when you look thro' the faid little Hole Cefpecially in a place where the Light is not too ftrong) upon a piece of Marbled Paper, in which there are a great many Colours, it is well known, that if it be held clofe to the Eye, there can come no Rays from it but thro* the aforefaid little Hole ,• and that therefore the number of them is much fewer than if they were immediately received in a greater Opening of the Pupilla without this Hole : But we ftiall like wife find at the fame time, that the Colours of the Marble Paper will (hew themfelves much fainter and darker thro* the little Hole, than they would direftly to the naked Eye. Now in cafe this Pupil, being too large, fhould admit too many Rays, as it does when one partes fuddenly from a very dark Place into a clear and ftrong Light; we find likewife, that upon this account, the Adion of ^'m'^g becomes very troublefome. Now to produce again a Proof of God's wonderful Wifdom and Mercy from this laft Inftance, could any Body reafonably fuppofe, that what is done herein, with fo much trouble by the Artificers in their Optical Inftruments, is performed by the Eye of itfelf, and without the Diredion of the Great Creator, and even without the Knowledge of the Man himfelf in whom it happens ? And moreover, after fuch a manner as infinitely exceeds the fineft Machine that Human Art has ever yet brought to the higheft degree of Perfedion ? Thus we fee that the Paflage F F {7 ah. XL Fig. 2.) thro* which the Rays of Light go, or rather that black little Circle in the Membrane (ac- cording to which our Eyes are denominated Black, Grey, or any other Co- lour) commonly called the Black or Apple of the Eye, becomes in a healthy Man fmaller in a great Light, and immediately greater in a fraall Light ; in order to admit more or fewer Rays, as the Circumftances of things require. I know very well, that no Body who has never feen this will readily be- lieve it ; but in order to convince him thereof experimentally, let him be brought into the Sun-£hine, or any other ftrong Light, or place him in a Y "" Cham- 1 02 The Religious Thilofopher. Chamber diredly oppolite to the Light of the Windows in a very bright Day ', where, if you obferve the Pupil of the Eye, you will find it to be very fmall in fuch a great Light, to the end, that the Lye may not be hurt by the (Irength thereof j then fet him in a dark Corner of a Chamber, and turn his Face from the Light; when you will prefently perceive the Pupil to become fenlibly larger, in order to admit a greater number of Rays ; in- fomuch, that after thefe Experiments, no Body can doubt of what has been here faid. Is not the great Goodnefs of God particularly remarkable herein, that all thefe things come to pafs in our Eye, without our being confcious there- of to the end, that our Attention may not be diverted from whatever we are then contemplating ? Which however would have always happened, if we had been obliged to have attended to every Occafion of adapting the Pu- fil to the Degrees of Light. Sect. XXIIL ConviBiom from the foregoing Obfervations. Now whofoever is a reafonable Perfon, and does plainly comprehend all that we have been faying about the Eye, ought he not to be aftonifii'd, that as there was a Lucretius among the Ancients, fo there are likewife in our Age Men that pretend to be Philofophers and Enquirers after Truth, and yet will not allow that the Maker of all thefe things, which contribute to- wards the forming of a good Sight, had any wife Purpofes or Defigns in forming the fame ? And yet if any of thefe Men fliould lee a good Microfcope, or a Sett of Magnify ing-Glaflfes, or a well-made Tekfcopey or a dark Chamber ^ with all its Apparatus, none of 'em will dare to fay that thofe things were framed by Chance. And can they then affirm it of the Eye, the Struflure of which they muft own, whether they will or no, to be unfpeakably finer than all the Inftruments for Sight that ever were invented by the Art of Men ? Ask then the greateft Mathematician, the mofl skilful Man in Optics, or Mechanics, whether he can be able to make a dark Chamber, that can be turned which way one will as readily and eafily as the Eye ; which, if turn- ed towards remote Obje<5ts, can fliorten itfelf and flatten its Glafs, and upon the nearer approach of an Objea, can make itfelf longer, and its Glafs rounder, without {landing in need of any other Affiftance ; yea (let the Caufe thereof be what it will) that can adapt itfelf to the various Diftances of Obieas, and accordingly form at every time a different Objed ; that when the Light is too fmall, can dilate its Hole or Opening; and when the Light is too ftrong, can again contrad the fame, without the concurrence of any thing elfe befides the Difpofition and Laws belonging to it ? Sect. XXIV. The Sun necejfary to Sight : And ConviBiom Jrom al/ the fore- going Olfervations, No w to fay no more, have we noreafon to acknowledge the Goodnefs and Power of the Great Creator, who has made fuch unfpeakably great Bodies as the Sun is, (not to mention the Moon and Stars) fubfervientto thefe ' Purpofes? The Religious Vhilojopher. i ^^ Purpofes? who, to compleat this Defign, and to make the Eye ufeful, has caufed the Light to flow from thence in fo vaft a Quantity, as to be able to fill the irameafurable Space between us and the Firmament, even as far as to the Planet Saturn itfelf, which is fuppofed, and not without reafon, to be enlightenM by the 5««; who derives the Light itfelf with fo uncon- ceiveable a Swiftnefs down to our Eyes, that they may be continually fup- plied therewith, infomuch, that if fuch Swiftnefs, and all the other Proper-^ ties of Light, of which we have been fpeaking (and of which we fliall treat hereafter more particularly) were not demonftrable, they might juftly be doubted of by every one. Can any Body contemplate all thefc great Things that are neceftary to make us jee^ and that co-operate as well within as without the Eye, and noc think himfelf in the lead obliged to him that has beftowed fuch Bleffings on him ? Who warns him thereby timely and from afar, of fo many things, whether they be Advantageous or Prejudicial to him , who grants him the Pleafure of being able to View and Contemplate fo many agreeable Colours in Fields, Trees, Flowers and the likej and to fum up all in one Word, who has vouchfafed him the Faculty of Seeing,- and who has made our Eye after a moft aftoniftiing manner, a perfeft Stage or Theatre, from whence we may view all his Wonders, how fmall foever it be m Comparifon of the Terreftrial and Celeftial Bodies ^ making of his Light an admirable Pen- cil, for fo the Mathematicians call the Compofition of Rays reprefented in Tah. X. Ftg.^. by B S T i ; as alfo in Tab. XL Fig. 2. by B, C C, D D, E E, ^; which proceeding from a Point as B, are, after due Refraftions, uni- ted again in another Point b, by which means all His great and glorious Works of Sun, Moon, Scars, Earth, Sea, Mountains, as alfo Trees, Flowers, Men, Beafts, and whatever elfe is corporeal and vifible are painted after an unimitable manner, in their true Colours and Lineaments upon the Bottom of the Eye ? Can it ftill be thought to be the refult of mere Chance (fince the Light, whilft it fcatters and fpreads its Rays aflfunder, is in itfelf improper to pro- duce a clear and diftind Sight) that neverthelefs, and only to render Men and other Living Creatures happy. Laws of RsfraUion were prefcribed to this Light, by which its Rays were turned from Divergent into Convergent • that is, from fcatter'd to united? Or, that it is without Wifdom, that this great and unformed Sea of Light, in all its mofl minute Particles, has fub- mitted to thefe Laws, without departing one Tittle from them > Of which more hereafter. Can any Body think it to be without a wife Defign, that all the Limbs of a Humane Creature, from his Childhood to his Manhood, grow conti- nually and proportionably greater, but the Onftdlme Humour of the Eye only (forafmuch as our Sight depends upon the Figure thereof) does, without growing and increafing, always preferve the fame Size aad Form both in Men and Children ? See this Remark m Bergerus^ pag. 407. C O N. I ^4- ■^^•'^ Religious Philofopher. CONTEMPLATION XIIT. Of the Hearinz, Sect. I. T'he Inftruments of Hearing unkmivn. NOW if we pafs from the Senfe of Seeing to that of Hearings how fmall Progrefs has the Labour of Enquirers been able yet to make, in order to penetrate into the true manner how this laft is performed, it will only be ne- cellary to quote the Expreffions of the famous Anatomift, Monfieur du Verneyy in the Preface of his mod laudable Treatife about the Injlruments cf Hearing: Among ali the Injlruments which Beajls uje for their Seri-ice, thofe of the external Senfes are leaft of all known to us; but nevenhelefs-, none of 'em all are attended with fo much Obfcurity as the Inftruments of Hearing. The fame is likewife acknow- ledged by Valfalva. It muft not therefore be expefted, that we fhall fet the Wifdom of the adoreable Creator in this Cafe, either in a full Light, or even demonftrate it fo plainly as has been done in the Bufinefs oi Seeing; this muft be the agreeable Employment of following Ages, when it fhall pleafe the Great Creator to give them a Clew to this Labyrinth, and further, to blefs their Enquiries, after repeated Difcoveries, concerning the Inllruments oi Hearing, of Sound, and of Muftck. Sect. IL But they are (iill fiifficient to prove the Wifdom of GOD. However, to (hew that notwithftanding Humane Wifdom is not yet capable of finding out the right Ufes of all thofe Inftruments that belong to the Senfe of Hearing ; yet the Strudure thereof, as far as it has been hitherto difcover'd, is fufficient to prove the wonderful Wifdom of the Creator to an Enquirer after Truth ; and fo convince an Atheift too, if he be not more Ob- ftinate than Ignorant : Since we have not here undertaken to defcribe a com- pleat Anatomy of thefe Parts, it will not be ufelefs to transfer the following Figures from the Tables o^Valfaha, which reprefentto the Life the Strudure of the Inftruments that ferve for Hearing with refpeft to each other; fo that from them, with fome others which we fhall add for greater Clearnefs, the Reader will be able to form a rough Conception thereof. Sect. III. The External StruSittre of the Ear. Let us then begin from the External Strudure of the Ear, which every one may fee in other Treatifes. Can any one fuppofe that it is Accident^?l, and without Defign, that two Ears are placed upon the Headj which ferve to receive Sounds by the Me- diation £^:b XI > IS ir ic i- ts d g •y I- 3- id is le t- as is le y» or '» n- .rs id ly id .in. id is he n- o- ♦ o he id )n. or :re on ch Iab :^a The Religious Thilqfopher. 135 diation of the Air; as may be feen in feveral Beafts, who, as the Sound comes from certain Places, are wont to turn the Cavity of their Ears that way ; as likewife in Men, who, when one of their Ears fail them, endeavour to repair that Defe<5l, by holding the Hollow of their Hand behind it ? And can one fee, without acknowledging a Defign of the Creator, that when the Sonori- ferous Air is come into the Cavity of the External Part of the Ear, it meets with a moveable Protuberancy at the Mouth of the Auditory Tube (called by the Anatomifts the 'Tragui) by which the Air is hinder'd from avoiding this Entrance of the faid Tube, and compelled to run into its Orifice or Mouth? Now forafmuch as the Ear, if it were compofed only of a foft and flabby Matter, like the Membranes, would hang down over the Orifice of the Au- ditory Tube, and hinder Hearing ,• or if it were of a harder and bony Sub- ftance, would occafion Inconveniencies in our lying down and otherwife : How manifeft is the Wifdom of the Creator, who has compofed the faid whole Ear of Membranes fupported with Cartilages? by which means it is endowed with an Elaflick Faculty (as you may obferve when you bend the Ear with your Hand, and let it go again) to the end, that it may redrefs it- felf, and return to its former State in all Accidents ; and perhaps too, as fome think, to promote the Tremulous Motion of the Sonorous Air. This is certain, that the Auditory Tube is at the beginning of it, made of the fame Cartilaginous Subftance with the Earj but farther in it, confifts of Bone only, as is fufiiciently known to the Anatomifls. Sect. IV. The Auditory Tubey and the Membrane called the Tympanum, or Drum. To fay fomething more of this, let (Tab. XI. Fig. 3. J L L be the Circum- ference of the extreme Part of the Ear, and K the circular Cavity that appears therein (called the Concha^ or Shell) and which can be feen outwardly ,• and in which is alfo the Orifice of a Tube AC, which extending itfelf internally m the Head, is called the Auditory Tube. This confiding of a Cartilage about that Part of the Ear marked A, and afterwards as far as C, of a Bone only, is cloathed on the infide with a Skin or Membrane, which in this Figure is reprefented alone without the Bone and Cartilage ,• and at the End of it F, it is fliut up by a Membrane which is round, dry, thin, folid and tranfparenr, and which is called the D/um of the Ear. But fome are of Opinion, that there is a fmall Orifice in this Mem- brane, which feems to be m fome meafure likely, becaufe fuch as take To- ba-cco have been obferved to convey the Smoak thereof from the Mouth thro* the Ears. And thus we fee how the Sonoriferous Air, admitted into that Part of the Ear LL, and collefted in the Concha K, enters into the Auditory Tube, and pafling from A to C, ftrikes againft the Membrane F, and puts it into Motion. Sect. V. Ihe Cavity called the Drmn^ the Bones oj the Ear^ and the Chorda or Little String. Behind the Men brane of the Drum, more inwardly in the Head, there is a certain Cavity, which the Anatomifls call the Tympanum or Drum, upon which 136 The Religious Thihjopher, which you mull fuppofe that this Membrane is extended much after the fame manner as the Skin of a Kettle-Drum. In this Cavity Anatomifts obferve feveral wonderful Things, fome ot which are contained within it, and others in its Circumference : The firft things within it, are the four little Bones of the Ear, and a fmall Nerve, called the Chorda 7pnpaniy or String of the Drum; to fay nothing here of the Mufcles, and other Singularities that occur therein. The other things confift moilly in the Openings that appear in the Bone of the Drums Circumference, whereby the Cavity thereof has a Communication with other Cavities, either with, ot .without the intervention of Membranes. Thefe Auditory Bones {Tab, XL Fig. 4.) are found to be four in number, C S is the Hammer, B P the Anvil, P V the Stirrup j and between the Anvil and Stirrup there lies, at P, a fmall roundifli Bone, which makes the fourth in Number. Between two of thefe Bones (Jab. XI. Ftg. 3.) there is a little Branch of a Nerve E O, or String of the Drum Sect. VI. I^he Motion ofthofe Inftruments. Now if we fuppofe that the Tail S, of the Hammer C S, \s faftened to the Membrane of the Drum, which lies there under it, we may obferve at the fame time, that this Membrane being moved by the Sound, that paffing into the Auditory Tube AC, flrikes upon it, will hkewife move the Hammer CS^ as that will do the Anvil B P ; by which laft, and by the fourth little Bone P (Tab. XI. Fig. 4.) the Stirrup V P, will likewife be moved : And fo the little String or Nerve E O (tab. XI. Fig. 3. when the Hammer C S, and the Anvil BP, are flirred by the Membrane of the Drum,) will always follow the Mo- tions thereof: So that from hence it appears, that the Morion of the Mem- brane of the Drum, communicates itfelf to all thefe little Bones, and to the Chorda Tympani. Sect. VII. The Openings in the Circumference of the Cavity of the Drum. To have a true Notion of the Circumference of this Cavity, which an un- skilful Perfon muft take care to diftinguifli from the Membrane of the Drum, fince Valfalva has not drawn it entirely, but only the Openings that are there- in ; you mufl; fuppofe it to be a Cavity that comes behind the Membrane of the Drum (lab XI. Fig. 3.) and encompalfes thefe little Bones : Or you may confult hereupon the Figures thereof in Monfieur du Verney, which, if we Ihould here reckon them up, would require too many Explanations. In this Circumference of the Cavity of the Drum Anatomifts do then find ; 1. The Opening of the inmoft Part of the Auditory Tube AC (Tab XI. Fig. 3.) which is flnit up by the Drum-Membrane F. 2. The Opening H of the Tube HGI, called the Trumpet o'( Eu (I aching, which terminates at I, in the furthermoft Part of the Roof of the Mouth ; fo that the Air paffing thro' it from the Mouth, from I to H, can enter into the Cavity of the" Drum, snd be again difcharged the lame way : The Wifdom of the Creator does wonderfully appear, in making this Orifice in the Roof 2 of The Religious Thilofopher. loj of the Mouth after fuch a manner, that the frefli Air drawn in by the Noflrils, is direfted in its way thither by a little Protuberancy ,-and when it returns from the Lungs, charged with Vapours, it pafl'es by this Orifice more eafily than it can enter into it. Valfaha fliews by Experience, that this being flopt, the Ear on the fame fide is immediately deaf; but when opened, hears again. And this, according to all Appearances, is that Paliage for Sounds, by the help of which, Men that have been entirely Deaf, have fometimes been able to tune a Muiical Inftrument, and others have been found to hear by the Mouth ; for which purpofe, a little Stick, held between the Teeth, or fet againtl it with one End, has oftentimes done great Service, whilft the other End, refting upon the Inftrument, ferves for a PaiTage to the Tremulous Mo- tion of the Air. The Paffage of the Tobacco Smoak from the Mouth to the Ear, of which we have already fpoken, may perhaps be traced after the fame manner. 3. The little Part of the Bone D, is the fide of a Sinus^ which makes the Cavity of the Drum larger, and is continued to the Cavity of another Bone, called the Apophyjis MammiUaris^ or Maftoides. In the firft Entrance of this Si- nus, the (harp End of the Anvil refls, as may be feen at D. 4. In the upper Part of this Sinus, Valfaha has difcover'd feveral Holes, by which there is a Communication between the Cavity of the Drum and that of the Skull itfelf. 5. There are yet two Openings in the Circumference of the Drum ; the firft of 'em are called the Oval Wwdow {Tab. XI. Fig. 5.) 0, and this Opening is fl:opt by the Stirrup. 6. The other is called the Round Windoiv p -, which is fhut by a Membrane like that of the Drum. You muft fuppofe, that both thefe Openings, and />, are here in one Bone, which is a part of the Circumference of the Drum's Cavity ; and that all thefe Threads and little Tubes i, 2,3,4, ^^^ *l"ite out of the Drum's Cavity, which we have put out of the way, that they mayn't hinder the Sight of 'em. Sect. VIII. The Lahyrinthy or Maz^e of the Ear. These two Oval and Round Windows open the way for Enquirers to the laft and mod inmoft Cavity of the Ear; which, by reafon of its wonderful Fi- gure, is called the Labyrinth. Being ftrip'd of the Bones that lie about it, it fhews itfelf as defcribed in the Table, only the End or Point of this Snail's Courfe 4, muft be (hewn fomewhat rifing from the Paper, and not lying in the fame Place with all its Windings, juft as you fee in theSnails themfelves, their Point to be a little elevated. I add this Remark, becaufe mentioned by Valfaha. You may fee it better delineated in Tab. XII. Pig. i. bat vv^ith the fame Fault as Tab. XI Fig. 6. and the better to fliew ail the Parts, the Laby- rinths are placed in a different Situation. The Parts of this laft Cavity (the Labyrinth) are commonly divided into three; namely, Firft, three Semi-circular Vefleis, i, 2, 3. Secondly, the Cochlea, or Snail 4; and Thirdly, a Cavity called the Veftibulum, or Porch, which lies between the two, and which, for greater clsarnefs, is rcprefentcd open {Tab. XI. Fig. 6.) To fay a word or two oF each. W^ 1 38 The Religious Thilofopher. We fee that the(e Semi circular VefTels, i, 2, 5, have an Opening at each End into the Feftibulum ; but that two oPem, i and 2, are united in one Vef- l*el at 5 and 6 : And therefore, that there are not fix but five Orifices in the whole : Moreover, we fee on the fide oppofite to the Porch, the Ccchka 4 ; this is divided according to its Length and Bending into two particular Tubes by a kind ot a Septum^ or Partition-Membrane ; which likewife, according to its Length, confifts ot" two different Sorts of Matters j the one is mem- branous, which Falfalva (fee his T'ah. VIIL Fig. 7.) thinks is probably for- med from a Branch e, of the foft Auditory Nerve fpread out into a Mem- brane (7ab. XL Fig. J.) And the other kind of Matter is dry, thin and rough, according to Du Verney^ and between the Solidity of a Cartilage and a Membrane, as Valfaha fays of it. That at leaft feemsto be true, that this Matter renders the Septum very fit for propagating the Tremulous Motion of the Sound. Ot the two Tubes which are made by this Plaat in the Cochlea 4, one is fliut up in a Membrane ; and the round Window p, of which mention is made above (7'^^. XL Fig. 5.) in the Opening itfelt : So that between this Tube, or rather between the half Cavity of the Cochlea and the Drum's Ca- vity, nothing but this Membrane does appear. Tab. XL Fig. 6. r is likewife the Orifice of another Tube, which is open at the Veftibulum. The Anatomifts name both thefe Tubes, into which the Cavity of the Cochlea 4 is divided, the ScaUy or Stairs. Laflly, we find that the Vejiibulum (befides the five Openings of the Semi- circular Vefiels, one of the Coc/j/e'rt, and flill five others thro' which the Au- ditory Nerves pafs, and by which thefe Openings are fiopt) has yet one more reprefented (T'ab.yi.l. Fig.$.) by 0, and Fig. 6. by q ; "viz,, the afore- mentioned Oval Window, which is ftopt by the little Bone of the Ear cal- edthe Stirrup ,• yet infuch a manner, that the Membrane which is between jthat Bone and the Edge of this oval Opening or Window, gives a Liberty to the Stirrup to be moved upwards and downwards. Sect. IX. T^he Auditory Nerves. Before we go any farther, we muft fay fomething of the Auditory Nerves, the foft Parts whereof c d (Tab. XL Fig. 7.) being divided into five Branches, pafs thro' the aforefaid Openings into the Vejiibulum, where be- hing expanded, they compofe the Membrane of this Vejiibulum; and from this Membrane likewife, there proceed five others, which entring into the Semi-circular Vefiels, and coming with each other from both fides, are uni- ted n one Membrane. You may fee 'em in this Figure, which appears fuffi- ciently in Fig. 6. If infiead of the Tubes you fuppofe you fee the Membranes which are there, and which are made of the expanded Auditory Nerves. So likewife, according to Valfaha, the little Branch of the Nerve e in the Cochlea^ produces the Membrane^, which, as we faid before, makes one fide of thQ Septum^ that divides the whole Cochlea into two Tubes. Sect, The Religious Vhilofopher. i ^p Sect. X. All the Inflruments of Hearing Jhewn. After all thefe Particulars, we Ihall proceed to reprefent the entire Strudureof the Inftruments of Hearing jointly with one another, and at the fame time, give you a brief Account of the Opinions of the principal Ana- tomifts concerning their refpedive Ufes : You may fee them in 'Tab. XII. Fig. 1. which, to range them in order as they appear, did not coft a little trouble to Valfaha, as he himfelf fays of it. Here then we find the Ear reprefented, not as it is feen before, or as it is extended towards the Face ; but infleded a little towards the hinder Part of the Head, to fhew all the other Matters more plainly. A A is the Ear, in which the Sound is inclofed ; and B the Cochlea, or Shell, in which the fonorous Air is collected, which, paffing from thence into the Auditory Tube C C, llrikes upon the Membrane of the Drum eg o, and thereby communicates a tremulous Motion to the faid Membrane. Sect. XI. An Experiment jl^ewing that the Auditory Tube imreafes the Sound, It muftnot be thought that this is faid without any ground, fince it is very probable, that the Air paffing thro' the Cochlea B, and the Auditory Tube C C (which together make a natural Speaking-Horn or Trumpet) ftrikes much more ftrongly upon the Membrane of the Drum that fhuts the faid Tube, than if it flruck againft the faid Membrane, without paffing thro' this Tube. This IS plain in fuch as are Deaf, and who are obliged fometimes to put into their Ear, either a crooked orftrait Tube, the Mouth of which is large, and the lower part narro\^'er, in order to hear the better. And if a Man that is not deaf has a mind to make the Tryal, let him take one of thofe Speaking- Trumrjets that were invented in the laft Century ffee 7"^^. XII. Fig. 2 ) A E, and fet the narrow Part of it againft his Ear, and let fome Body whifper fottly at the wide Pare E; and he (hall find, tho^ the Tube be about C\}l Foot long, as mine is, that he will hear the Speaker very plainly and d^ftindly.even at the time when other Perfons Handing much nearer to the Mouth of him that fpeaks, and lift'ning with all the Attention they can, will not be able, by reafon of the lownefs of his Voice, to hear or underftand any thing he fays. After the fame manner we Hkewife perceive, that the Sound produced by blowing thro' a Trumpet or Horn, is heard incomparably louder than that which any Man can make with his Mouth only. Sect. XII. Sounds produce a Tremulous Motion in the Drum- Membrane y (hewn experimentally. Now to (hew farther, that the Air operating more ftrongly upon the Membrane of the Drum ego, thro' this natural Auditory Tube A AB C C (Tab. XII. Fig. I.) produces therein a fliivering or tremulous Motion ,• one might firft inftance in the manner that all refounding Bodies are moved which, vibrating fwiftly backwards and forwards, ftrike againft the G>c««j- ^ ambient 140 The Religious PhiJofopher. ambient Particles of Air, and fo communicate this tremulous Motion. One may perceive this fame tremulous Motion very fenfibly in Bdis,in tiieScrings of Mufical Inftruments and otiier thmgs, by laying ones Finger or any oiher Matter upon them when they are made ro found j and very plainly in the known Experiment of a Drinking-Glafs, with a little Water in it, by wet- tinf^ the Finger and prefling it round the Brim j and at the fame time that it yields a Sound, if you place the other Hand at the Foot or Bottom of the Glafs, you may feel the faid tremulous Motion. And to fee, by way ot Comparifon, how the Air is moved by fuch a re- founding Glafs, you need only pour as much more Water in it, which will fill it almoft to the Brim, when prefling the faid Brim round again with the Finger, you will vifibly difcover in the Water, the tremulous Motion occali- on'd by the Glafs j jufi fo is the Air likewife moved. Sect. XIII. Other Experiments proving the fame thing. But not to difcourfe too long nor too deeply about the Nature of Sounds, which are not yet fully known to us, this is fufficiently certain, that after what manner focver the Air be put into Motion, in order to produce Sounds, it is capable of caufing the Bodies againft which it ilrikes to tremble. Kow, to fay nothing here of thofe Motions which the Sound of a Can- non produces in the Air, and by which it caufes Doors and Glafles, with many other folid Bodies, not only to tremble, but to burft in pieces; this is very plain, that if you Ikike with your Finger upon the Thread or String of a Mufical Indrument, for Inftance a Violin, the other Hand in which you hold the faid Inftrument, will in fome meafure feel the Wood to tremble. But now to ftiew the Analogy thereof with the Ear, about which we have been treating ; takeaway the Mouth-Piece of the Speaking- Trumpet, A, B,C (Tab. XII. Fig- 2.) and inftead thereof, let a dry thin Hog's Bladder be fpread over the Orifice asfmooth and tite as may be ; or in cafe the Brim or Edge of the faid Trumpet B C, be armed with a kind of Teeth, as fome are for Ornament-fake, and that there be danger from thence of burfting the Blad- der in the Expanfion thereof, you may put a four-double Paper, with a great round Hole in the middle, upon thofe Teeth, before you fpread the Blad- der over them ; this being done, let the Trumpet, with its largeft Orifice D F, be placed upon the fide of two Chairs, fo that it may fland flreight up, and the Bladder be on the Top at BC Now in cafe you fhould lay three or four little Feathers of a Quill upon the faid Bladder, andcaufe a Man lying upon his Back upon the Floor, with his Head between two Chairs, and his Mouth diredly under the middle of the Tube E, to call or fpeak out aloud, you fhall perceive, that the Sound ftriking upon the Bladder, will produce a tremulous Morion in the fame, and in the little Feathers lying upon it; which Motion, or Trembling, may be likewife felt, if you hold the Tube in your Hand, and lay your Finger upon the Bladder at B C, when any Body fpeaks whofs Mouth is placed at E. Thus The Religious Vhihfopher. 14.T Thus then we fee (caking the Speaking-Tmmpet for the Auditory Tube A A B C C, Tab,X.ll. Fig. 1.) and the Bladder for the Drum-Membrane, which is expanded over the Auditory Tube ^t c goO, that the faid Mem- brane muft be afFeded with a tremulous Motion, by the Sound entering the Ear, asalfo the Hammer n, whofe Stalk or Handle is fallen 'd to the Drum- Membrane. Sect. XIV. The Tremulous Motion of the Auditory Bones . Now by this Hammer muft the little Nerve c 7 (which fiiewsitfelf here between the Hammer n and the Anvil m) be likewife moved; of which we fhall fay fomething more hereafter. But it is particularly plain that the Ham- mer 12, being moved by the tremulous Motion of the Drum- Membrane, pro- pagates the fame Motion to the Anvil ;h, and by that to the Stirrup p. The Stirrup p, which does here clofe the Oval Orifice in the Porch 4, both byitfelf and the Membrane that furroundsit (this Orifice does not ap- pear very plain here, but you may fee it in Tal;. XI. Fig. 5. at 0, and Fig, 6. at ^) being thus put into a tremulous Motion, both by the Sound and by the Trembling of the Membrane of the Drum, and the reft of the Auditory Bones ; we likewife fee that the Air v?. the Porch 4, and moreover in the Semicircular Veflels i, 2, 3, and in the one Tube, or half of the Cochlea j, will be moved ; and alfo through the round Orifice />, (Tab. XI. Fig. $■) the Air in the other Tube^ not like the former (Tab. XII. Fig. i.) by the Audi- tory Bones, or by the Hammer n, the Anvil w, and the Stirrup p ; but by the Motion of the Air in the Cavity of the Drum, which is to be found be- tween the Drum-Membrane and this round Orifice ; which Air being moved by the Membrane of the Drum, and likewife by that Membrane that clofes the round Orifice p {T'ab. XI. Fig. 5. and the Air, Tab. XII. Fig. i.) that is behind in the other half Tube of the Cochlea 5, will be moved. This is the Opinion of Monfieur du Vemey, about the round Window, from whom Valfaha does herein fomewhat difter : They that pleafe may confult 'em both, orftay till the Uncertainty of the Ufe of this round Orifice be removed by future Experiments. But to proceed : Sec t. XV. The like Motion in the Membrane of the Labyrinth. This Air being put now into Motion throughout the whole Labyrinth I, 2, 3, 4, 5 (T^^. XII. Hg. I.) the Membranes (that are therein, and arc reprefented by Fig. 7. 'tab. XI.) or rather the Auditory Nerve <5, muft needs be moved thereby ; which Nerve enters this Labyrinth thro' five Orifices (Tab. XII. Fig I.) three of which are feen on this (ide the Porch like fo many Points ,• and being there, and fpreading out its Branches into Mem- branes (when they are moved by the Air) as well in the Porch as in the three Semi-circular Veffels, and the Cochlea, the Senfe of Hearing is thereby produced. So that finally thefe Nervous Membranes ip all the Cavities and Tubes of the Labyrinth i, 2, 3,4, 5, feem to be the Inftruments by which, and the Labyrinth itfelf the place where, the Hearing is formed, becaufe the Motion Z 2 of 142 The Religious Vhilofopher. of the Sound does there aflfeft the Auditory Nerves, or the Membranes produced by the Expanfion of the fame. Now that this is not advanced by many, without good Grounds, feems to be in fome manner proved by an Obfervation which Valfaha made upon the Body of a deaf Perfon. Ch. II. §. 10. where the Membrane that encom- pafles the Stirrup, and fhuts the Oval Orifice, was found to be all Bone and for that reafon the Stirrup was immoveable, which, according to him' was the Caufe of that Deafnefs ; to which we may add, that the Drum- Membrane being broken, the Hearing does not immediately fail, but only after a good while, when the other Inftriimentsof Hearing, lying too naked and expofed to the Air, are perhaps corrupted. So that properly the Drum -Membrane does not feem to be the immediate Inflrument of Hearing. Sect. XVI. ConviBions from fome Particulars. I now leave it to the Judgment of an Atheift himfelf, how many things relating to the Ufes of thefe Inftruments of Hearing may be ilill concealed from us ; or, whether To many as are hitherto known to us, are formed and fixed in the Place where we find them by mere Chance, or without a wife Defign ? Dares he now afcribe the Figure of thofe little Trumpets or Horns that Deaf People make ufe of, to Chance, or ignorant Caufes ? Can he then with the leaft Appearance of Reafon, advance fuch Sentiments of this which is found in the Ears of all Men L L, and is reprefented in tab. XL F17 2 . by the Concha K, and the Auditory Tube ABC. • ^ • ^- :^ • Efpecially knowing, as he does, the Inconveniencies which any little Things or Infects produce, when they get into that Tube ; and feeing be- fides, that that Vellel is encompafled with a number of fmall Glands at A which have likewife their own little Velfels, from whence a tough and yel- low Matter is continually filtrated ; the Uk whereof is not only to pre- ferve the Tube in a proper State of Moifture, fo that it may not be too much dryed by the Air, nor yet rendered too foft and flabby, if the faid Matter were thinner ; but chiefly to flop the way to the innermoll Part of the Ear, and barricade it againft little Flies and other little Animals by the aforefaid tough Matter, and alfo by the little Hairs that grow therein ; and in cafe any of thofe little Creatures fliould have infinuated themfelves too far, the bitterifli Tafl: of that Matter will deter them from advancing any further. The Wonders of this Scrudure of the Ear, fo far as they relate to the lit- tle Mufcles placed therein, may be feen in the Books of thofe who have learnedly treated of the fame, fuch as Valfaha, du Verney, and others : d is one of thofe Mufcles reprefented in Tab. XII. Fig. i. as feparated from the Bone-Tube in which it is placed; which alfo ferves to draw the Hammer a.nd thereby more or lefs to expand the Membrane of the Drum, and, together with the other Mufcle / /, to open at the proper time the Tube H I which runs from the Cavity of the Drum to the hindmoft part of the Roof I The Religious Thilofopher. i jo Roof: At^ we fee a fmall Mufcle, which is implanted in the Head of the Stirrup, and which can ftretch more or lefsthe little Membrane that fiiuts the Oval Orifice, in order to render it more ferviceable to the Motion of the Sound : But this we fliall pafs by. Sect. XVII. 7he Difference between the In ftruments of Hearing in lUmg and Grown People. Now if the Wifdom of the Creator does not palpably appear from al^ the foregoing, let any reafonable Body judge, when he fees that in Tab. XII- Fig. I. the little Bones of Hearing «, w, />, and thofe that compofc the La- byrinth I, 2, 3, 4, 5, are of the very fame Size in a little Child as in a grown Man j whereas all other Bones do moftly grow with the Body ^ the reafon of which, as it fhould feem, is, that in cafe the Inftruments of Hearing fhould alter, the Voice of the Children thcmfelves, of their Parents, and other Sounds already known to Children, might, by the growth of thefe In- ftruments, become firange and uncouth to them, and fooccafion Miftakesand Confufion. And to be convinced, that this happens with Defign, and merely by the Wifdom of the Creator, we need only take notice, that where it is necefl'a- ry that all thefe things fhould remain in the fame State in a Child and in a grown Perfon, the fame does accordingly happen ; but when any Alteration is neceflary, that alfo happens : Accordingly in a grown Perfon it is necef- fary that the Auditory Tube B C C, fhould be wholly open to the Mem- brane of the Drum c, ^, o, c, and the Membrane of the Drum itfelf dry, and not too flabby ; But if this fhould happen in the fame manner in Children, that Moiflure with which they are encompaffed before their Birth, would ren- der the Membrane of the Drum too foft and flabby to be of ufe to them af- terwards : From whence it is, as Anatomifls obferve, that the Auditory Tube in new-born Children is narrower, and ffopt by another kind of Matter, infomuch, that the Humidity of the Matrix cannot approach it ; which flopping Matter is found to difappear of itfelf in a few Days after the Birth, to accuflom the Children by degrees to the Impreflion of the Air upon the Membrane of the Drum, and fo to the Senfe of Hearing, of whii:h they are deprived even after their Birth, fo long as this Obflruftion lafts in the. Auditory Tube. Sect. XVIII. 1'he Inftruments of Hearing are unneceffary without Air Con- viSiions from thence. Now, as the Eye without Light, fo this wonderful Strufture of the Inftruments of Hearing, would be in a manner ufelefs, if He, that takes fuch great Care of all his Creatures, had not vouchfafed to encompafs that Globe upon which they live with a vaft Ocean of Air. Does nor this then admi- nifteran Occafion to us alfo, to praife the Goodnefs and Wifdom of the Crea- tor, who has been pleafed to to ad juft thefe Inftruments of Hearing, that whilft Men live and breath in the Air, they. are exadly adapted to difcover to us, after fuch a wonderful Manner, the Motion thereof, by means of an Impref- lAi- The Religious Philofopher. JitipreiTion which the Sound produces in us ; and which is only applicable to this Senre of Hearing ? Will any one dare to maintain, if he faw a Ship failing with all its Tackle, that the Ropes, Sails, Pullies, and whatfoever elfe is neceflary to adapt it to the Wind, are put into fuch a State by mere Chance, or without Deiigni and yet that every one of them was very ufeful in caullng the Ship to move? And is k not much more unreafonable to aflfert the fame of thefe much more wonderful Things, which as to the manner of their Operation, have hitherto been infcrutable ? For thefe are not governed by a ftrong and fenfibie Motion of the Air, fuch as the Wind is, but are adapted to a much more fecret and infenfible Motion thereof, with the Affiftance of feveral Mufcles, which di- late or contratc thefe Inftruments of Hearing : And yet it muft be confefs*d, that the Ufes and Advantages of fuch a Motion are much greater than that produced by the Wind in a Ship, in which latter a very few may be concerned, but the former affcfts all living Creatures; and the Benefit thereof is commu- nicated to them after the moft convenient Manner, and even without any Concurrence or Trouble on their Part. Sect. XIX. The Nerves that are moved in Hearing. T o proceed now to thofe other Matters of which we promifed to fay fome- thing in the following Difcourfe : We have (hewn before, in T^^, XI. Fig. 3. a fmall Nervous Body E O (which in Tab. XII. Fig. 1. is reprefented by c 7.) This is obferved to run acrofs over the Membrane of the Drum, between the two Auditory Bones, viz.. the Hammer CS, and the Anvil P P; and foraf- much as the Hammer CS is- faften'd to the faid Membrane of the Druna, 'tis plain enough, that that Membrane being moved by Sounds, fuch Motion muft necefl'arily be continued to the Hammer, and to the faid Nervous Cord or String E O : So that in every Motion of the Membrane of the Drum, that is, as often as one hears any thing, this little Nerve E O, is put into a tremulous Motion. Sect. XX. The Ufe of the faid Nervous Cord. Concerning the right Ufe of this little Nerve the Opinions of the Anatomifts are various, all of 'em looking upon it as a thing fufficiently obfcure. It is called by the Ancients Chorda Tympani, or the String of the Drum, and efteemed to be of the fame Ufe as the Strings of the Soldiers Drums. Mr. Maurice Hoffmann in his Idea Machine, p. 232. has collefted the feveral Notions of the Learned about this Nervous String. FaUofius^ fays he, was uncertain what it was : Euftachius takes it for a Branch of the Nerves of the Fourth Pair; notwithftaneiing which Mr. Gafper Hoffmann acknowledges inge- nuoufly, that he did not know what fort of a Body this was, nor to what End, nor where it was inferred ; and thought that it might be an uncertain Work of fportin^T Nature, and that a great many were miftaken concerning it. Whereupon RioJan having fince anfwer'd him, fays, that it is a. nervous Fibre derived from the Auditory Nerve : Finally, Monfieur du Verney has irrefragably I proved. The Religious Thilofopher. f^.^' proved, that this nervous Cord is a Branch of the Fifth Pair, which proceed- ing forwards, joins it felf to the hard Auditory Nerve. The faid Monfieur du Verney lays down the \J{q thereof in his Treatife de V Organe de I' Ovilj p. 51, 52. faying, that it communicates Branches to the little Mufcles of the Auditory Bones, and what elfe there may be in the Cavity of the Drum, in order to produce Motion. Monfieur M. Hoffmann fuppofes that it ferves to communicate Motion and Senfation to the Drum- Membrane, at leaft to give it is proper Tenfion. Touching this String, the Reader may confult Valfaha^ who having writ- ten later than the above-mention'd Gentleman, has declared his Opinion with fome Warmth in his AccumZQ Defcription of the Ear, Cap. II. §. 22. Thefe are his Words as they lland there ; Moreo'ver, that this nervous Branch runs fo naked and undifcover*d, fo Jimple and alonCy fo regularly and fo conftantly thro the Cavity of the Druntj and particularly that n lyes fo ktvjeen the Auditory Bones, that it is immediately put into Motion as foon as ever the faid Bones are moved ; all thefe things JheiOy that there is fome great Myflery of Nature concealed in this Branchy and have therefore induced me frequently to contemplate the fame both with my Eyes and my Mind, being dejirous to find out fomething perhaps new in the DiJfeEiion, or at leafl the Caufes thereof. After which he tells us what his Thoughts were concerning it, and what he had begun to difcover therein, and fo concludes with thefe Words : But fince 1 have not yet had an Opportunity to employ fo much Pains as I was defirouSy and as was requijtte in this Matter, I Jhall content my felf with having made known my Intentions and Purpofesy and fay no more about it at prefent. This Gentleman does likewife own, that this Branch lyes between the Fifth Pair and the Auditory Nerve ; but adds, that he can't fee, why we may not as well take it for a Branch of this Auditory Nerve, carried on to- the Fifth Pair, as a Branch derived from the Fifth Pair to the faid Auditory Nerve : But whether we maintain it to be the firll or the laft with Monfieur du Verney, it is certain, that this String has likewife a Communication with the Fifth Pair; and that being put into Motion by Sounds, it cannot avoid continuing fuch Motion, both to the Fifth Pair and to the Auditory Nerves. I have been more prolix in relating the Sentiments of the Principal Anato- mifls upon this Matter, to fhcw that this little nervous Cord has occafion'd very ferious Reflexions among feveral Perfons, and that many havefufpe(5ted, that there is fomething ftrange and uncommon therein : And I fliould not have offered my own Opinions concerning the Operations of the faid Cord, and the Purpofes for which it feems to be made, were it not to convince the Atheifts and Unbelievers, or at leiiil Weak and Wavering Chriftians, that they will find fomething in the Stru6lure and Contrivance of this String, that may excite in them not only Admiration, but alfo Reverence for the adora- ble Maker of it. To propofe it therefore briefly : Sect. XXI. 'fhe Fifth Pair of Nerves ferve to excite the Paffons. How much the Fifth PairofNetves contributes towards exciting our Paf- fions or Inclinations, with refpe(5t to the Intcrcoftal Nerves^ which ifl'ning fre- quently 146 The Religious Thilofopher. quently with a double Branch out of the faid Fifth Pair, liberally communi- cates Sprigs to all the Parts of our Body, and caufes Motions therein, may be learned from the Words of that great Enquirer into the Nerves, Vieuffens />. 235. in S'z^o. who fays. That the faid Pair is not only carried on to the Eyes\ Nofey Palate, T'ongue, Teeth, and all the Parts of the Month and Face, but that it likewife derives its Branches to every thing that is in the Breafl and Belly, and is even continued down to the Feet by the Intercoftals ; Adding farther, p. 327. that this Communication of the Branches of the Fifth Pair is, among other things like- wife, the Caufe why, purfuant to the various Motions that are produced in the Brain, all the Parts of the Body, and particularly of the Breaft, are diffe- rently affefted, and the Signs of our Inclinations impre(fed upon our Faces which are altogether adapted to thofe Paffions that are moved,- and accord- ingly by the Changes of our Countenances, the feveral Emotions, or Affedions, of Love and Hatred, of Joy and Sorrow, of Fear and Boldnefs, are clearly exprtfled. Sect. XXII. The Dura- Mater produces the like Emotions. Secondly, H o w much the Motions of the Dura Mater, which encompaifes all the Nerves, do likewife contribute to the producing thefe Paffions and Emo- tions in the Mind, is known to Surgeons when they touch the fame, and to Phy/icians too, very frequently in the Diflemper called the Phremtis Frenfyj in which it appears, that by the pricking of this Membrane (whereby its Expan- fion is augmented, and the Manner of Motion altered j confufed Thoughts and extravagant Paffions, fometimes Weeping, then again a fudden Fit of Laugh- ter; one while Fear, another while Boldnefs and Anger; and innumerable o- ther irregular Motions in Anions and Words, without any external apparent Caufe, are produced in the poor Patient Now this great Inflrument of fo many Aftions, this Dura Mater, has many of its Nerves from the Fifth Pair as the faid Vieuffens has fhewn in feveral Places, fo that that is hkewife moved thereby. Sect. XXIII. 7he Eighth Pair produces the fame EfeEis. Thirdly, It may be likewife obferved, from the faid Vieiffens^p, 347. that in many Cafes, the Nerves of the Eighth Pair, which the Ancients name the Wandering Nerves, or Par-vagum, encompafs thofe of the Fifth Pair in their Operations ; and confequently in many Places, by the Interpolition of the Nervous Branches, thofe of the Eighth Pair are inferred in the Intercoflals which proceed from the Fifth Pair. And how much therefore thofe of the Eighth Pair do likewife help to excite the Paffions, appears from the fame Author, /). 347, and 348. where he fays, Since the Eighth Fair has a Communi- cation with the Auditory Nerves about the Origin thereof, ue find the Reafon why not only different Paffims are excited in the Soul, acccrdijTg to the differences ff Sounds - but aljo, why the Heart and other Parts, yea, even the ivhole Body, are variouflv affe- Bed thereby. - ^ jj u Sect. The Religious Thilofopher. 14.7 Sect. XXIV. The Auditory Nerve produces the like EfeSi. Fourthly, W e find the aforementioned Monfieur Vieujfem, difcourfing about the Auditory Nerves in the following Manner j Jhefe Auditory Nerves ]ife clofe to the Root of the Eighth or IVandring Pair, -with which the fofter Branch oj the f aid Nerves runs along ; whereby it comes to pafs^ that there is fuch a great Sympathy ^- tween the Ear and the Bowels, which are provided with this Eighth Pair that according to the Variety of the Sounds, various Motions are produced not cnly in the Brain, but iikewife in the Breajl, and oftentimes in the whole Body, and thereby (viz. on occajion of thefe Motions) various Notions and Conceptions are excited jn the Soul. Befides all this, it is Iikewife found that the harder Auditory Nerve is like- wife inferred in the Eightli and Fifth Pair, and alfo fends a Branch to the Dura-Mater, befides thofe which it gives to the Inflruments of Hearing. See Vieujfens,p, 340, and 341. Sect. XXV. T'he Motion of the Chorda Tympani does Iikewife excite the Pafftons. From all which it is therefore plain, that by the Motion of the Fifth Pair, and by that of the Auditory Nerve, our PafTions are excited ; and that the Fifth Pair produces this Eft'ed both from itfelf, as it fends feveral Branches to the Dura-Mater, and a great many to the Eighth Pair, which Eighth Pair does Iikewife excite the Paffions : The Auditory Nerve alfo has the fame Ef- feft, becaufe it is inferred in the Fifth and Eighth Pair, and in the faid Dura- Mater. Now forafmuch as it has been already fhewn that the Membrane of the Drum, which-^is moved by every Sound, can undert^o no Motion unlefs the Auditory Bones, and by them the Chorda Tympani EG (Tab. XI. Fig. 3 and c 7. Tab. XII. Fig. I.) be moved at the fame time j and forafmuch as Du Verney and Valfalva have both proved that this is a Branch lying between the Fifth Pair and the hard Auditory Nerve, and inferred in bothj it follows, that this Chorda being always moved by Sounds, both thefe Nerves muft like- wife fliare in the fame Motion : Wherefore it is manifeft, that the Operation of this Chorda does Iikewife, among other things, confift herein, to bring the Body into Emotions or Paffions of Mind by thefe Nerves, or at leafi: to dif- pofe and prepare it for the fame. Sect. XXVI. IVh/ the Hearing, above all other Senfes, is befl adapted to thefe Purpofes. The Sight is commonly efieemed the mofi: excellent ot all the Senfes,- and Experience itfelf has made it a Proverb, That one Witnefs, who has feen a thing, is more to be credited than ten that have heard it j which may be the reafon, perhaps, that the Hearing may be adapted by its Strufture, even beyond the Sight, to ftir up Paffions and Emotions in Humane Mind^. But confidering that the Great God, according to his endlefs Wifdom and Mercy, has thought fit to propagate Saving Faith in his adoreable Son by the means of Hearing, as well before he took upon him Humane Nature, as par- A a ticularly 1 48 The Religious Vhilofopher. ticularly after that he left this World and enter'd into his Glory : It feemed to me (if one may prefume to fay any thing of the Wife Defigns of the Al- mighty, when they are not fully revealed to us) for the(e Reafons, that the Inflruments of Hearing have received fuch a different Contexture from thofe of all the other Senfes. For in order to adapt them for fo unconceivably a great Work, the following Properties are neccfl'dry thereto. FzVy?, That the Hearing, among all the Senfes, fliould have the Faculty to reprefent to the Mind abfent Things, either future or pafl, by the means of the Sound of Words, and to make us comprehend them as if they were pre- fentj whereas the Sight, and other Senies, are only afteded by Objeds that are prefent to them. Secondly^ That the Inflruments belonging to the Senfe of Hearing, have moreover fuch a particular Scrudure, whereby they are enabled to excite all our Paflions and Inclinations, and to awake the Powers of our Minds. The firft Property is proved by Experience ; the fecond has been already fllewn by the Defcription we have given of the Chorda Tympam, and the other Inflruments of Hearing, to which might perhaps be added, as another Caufe, Firfiy that the Membrane of the Drum itfelf confifts of the Union of two o- ther Membranes, one of which is the Skin of the Auditory Tube, and the other a Part of the Dura-Mater which extends itfelf thereto. Secondly, that the Air which is put into Motion by Sound, can immediately affeft the Dura- Mater by the little Holes in the Cavity of the Drum, and by the Tube which is continued from thence to the Palate. Thefe Difcoveries we owe to Val- falva. But this v/e leave to the further Coniiderations of the Learned : Let it fuffice here, that it has been plainly enough proved, that thofe Inllruments that belong to the Senfe of Hearing, are adapted to excite the Palfions. Sect. XXVII. An Experiment to Jhew the Force of Mufick. In the Hiftory of the Royal Academy in France, for the Year 17 17. (under the Head oi Ohfervations upon Phyficks in General) we find a Relation of a great Mu- fician, and in the Hifl- of 1708. of a Dancing-Mafler ; the firfl of whom was taken with a continued Feaver and great Ravings ; and the laft with a very violent Feaver, attended with a kind of Lethargy, and afterwards with Mad- nefs ; and that both of 'em were perfedly reftored to their Senfes by Mufick. We alfo find feveral Obfervations made upon Perfons that have been flung by a larantula, 2l Creature found in Italy, of the Shape and Size of a great Spider, which has produced the extreamefl Diforders in their Underflanding, Motions and Powers of Life ; the Faces of fome turning black, their Feet and Hands as if they were Dead ; others lying Speechlefs, or in deep Melan- choly, feeking Solitary and Burying Places; fometimes digging Pits and Holes, which they fill with Water, and wallow in the Mud thereof like Swine ; finally, after having undergone innumerable Miferies, their Diilempers have only ended with their Lives. I fhall not enquire into the Caufes thereof; but we are taught by Experi- ence, that this Great Evil, for which hitherto no other Medicine is known, can only be cured by the Sound of Mufick, of which different Aires and Tunes Tie: -' Tab :?ai Fl<5- 2 Tab :jai F.g- / The Religious ThUoJopher i^q Tunes muft be played, according to the different Nature and Colour of thofc Tarantulas that have given the Wounds. They that defire a tuiler Information of thefe Matters, may be pleafed to confult what Signior Baglivi has faid about it. Whilll I was writing this, a certain Learned Gentleman, and a Great Ma- fter m Mufick, did me the Honour of a Vifit i and as our Difcourfe occafi- onally fell upon this Subjed, was pleafed to inform me that the famous Italian Mulician, Angela Vitali, had related to him the following Story, and afl'ured him of the Truth of it : Namely, that a certain Player upon the Lute at Ve- nice had boafted, that by his playing he could deprive the Hearers of the u(e of their Underftanding ; whereupon he was fent for by the Doge, who was a Lover of Mufick, and commanded to put his Art in Pradice before him j where, after having played fometime very finely, and to the amazement of the Hearers, he at laft began a Mournful Tune, with a Defign, as far as he was able, to put the Doge into a Melancholy Humour, and prefently after, he ftruck up a Jovial one, to difpofe him to Mirth and Dancing; and after having repeated thofe two kind of Tunes feveral times by turns, he was or- der*d by the Doge^ who feemed to be no longer able to endure thofe different Emotions which he felt in his Soul, to forbear Playing any longer. ► Now that fuch fudden Variations in Tunes, by which Men are in one Mi- nute's time rendered very Sorrowful, and the next no lefs Merry, do produce ftrange Effefts upon our Minds, may eafily be conceived by thofe that have ever felt the Power of Mufick from an able Hand : A! leaft, it is very plain from hence, and from numberlefs other inftances, how much the Senfe of Hearing contributes towards exciting the Paflions. Sect. XXVIIL Jhe Force of other Sounds. However, let no Body think that nothing but good Mufick is capable of exciting Paflions and Diforders in the Minds of Men, fince we have feen the like Effeds produced by other Sounds. Every Body can furnifli In- ftances of the extraordinary Emotions and Paffions which the Noife of a Drum, and the Difcharge of Guns, do excite in the Souls of thofe that have been in Sieges or Engagements by Sea or Land. Phyficians likewife meet with many fuch Inflances in their Pradice. Thus wc fee Women that are troubled with Hyflerical Fits, oftentimes upon the (hutting of a Door, the falling of a Book, or any other unexpeded Sound, very much diflurb'd and frighten'd, fo as to flart or leap at it. I have met with fome, that being troubled with this grievous Diflemper, are not only in a continual Fright, but complain very often, that they fancy they hear the common Voices of Men, jufl as if they were the (hrill Sounds of a Great Bell continually ringing in their Ears, which made them ready to faint. Aa 2 CON- I^O The Religious Thilqfopher. CONTEMPLATION XIV. of the Scn/es of Tafling^ Smelling and Feeling. S E c T. I. Of the Necefjlty of the Ta/i. O W as the Great Creator is wonderfully Wife and Gracious in adapc- _ ing us to the Senfes of Seeing and Hearing, He is not lefs fo in the Manner by which he makes our Meat and Drink, the two neceflary Sup- ports of a decaying Life, fo agreeable to us. It feems very unreafonable and improbable, that any Body fhould be neg- ligent in the feafonable Ufe of Food ; but, unlefs it had alfo pleafed the Goodnefs and Loving Kindnefs of our adoreable Creator, to bellow upon us the Senfe of Tafling, and thereby to render the Trouble of Eating and Drink- ing grateful and pleafing to us, there feemed a Danger that many People would have confider'd it as a Burden and Slavery, and would therefore have often let it alone, »t leaft^ they would not have ufed it in due Time or Quantity. And this will not appear ftrange to any Body that has ever ob- ferved with how much Averfion, and many times with Loathing too, we are brought to the ufe of Medicines, which, with refped to the neceflity of 'em, do far exceed Food itfelf. S E c T. IL 'The Seat of lafling is in the Mouth. Now can any Man think that it happened without the Wifdom of the Cre- ator, that the Senfe of Tailing fhould be juft placed in the Mouth, in which all Food is at firil received, maflicated, or made fmall by Chewing, and moi.- ften'd with Spittle, and no where elfe ? Sect. IIL Se'veral Notions about the Infimment of Tafiing, But in how great Darknefs the Ancients were, with refped to the true Inftruments by which this Senfe of Tailing is performed in us, and how doubtfully and varioufly even the Modern Enquirers have writ concerning them, may be learned from the Letter of Malpjghi de Lir.gtia ; fome placing the true Inftrument of Tad in the upper Membrane of the Tongue; others in the fpungy Membrane thereof ; others again in the Nerves that are fpread throughout the whole Tongue ,• fome in the Almond-Glands, and their ex- tended Membranes ; others in the Throat ,• a few in the Pallate, which laft have been entirely confuted a few Years ago, by the Learned Eohnius, Circnl. Annt p. ^75. At prefent mod People place them in thofe little Protuberances, which they cad the Papilla or Nipples. Sect, The Religious Thilqfopher. i^f S E c T. I V. The Infiyumems of Tafi. We (hall not let ourfelves farther into this Matter, which perhaps may be hereafter cleared up by more Experiments, but only fay, that the laft of the above-mention d Opinions is elleemed the trueft, by the greareft Enqui- rers into Nature among the Moderns. We fee then, that the Strudure of the httle Nipples appear peculiar in the Tongue abov^e other Parts and that they have fuch a fingular Form, as feemsto be required for one of \he exter- ■ nal Senfes : fince it is probable, that in the Tegument of the Tongue thefe Ori- fices were exprefly made m order to admit into them the Particles of Food moiflen'd by the Glands, and to convey them to the Papilla that lye there- under, whereby they areaffeded with that Senfacion which we call rafl For which purpofe the accurate Diffeaions of the above-mention'd Mat- pighi and others, have {hewn, that the Nerves of the Fifth and the Ninth Pair, which are held to be the Nerves of Tailing, are inferred in thefe Pa- pilU after a particular manner, and feem chiefly to form this whole Nerve. and Papilloas Body ; accordingly (as .it is likewife obfervcd by the fame Malpighide LinguJr P- i<5.) we find, that the Nerves that are adapted to one of the external Senfes, are at laft dilated into a flat and membranous Body, S E c T. V, and VI. Experhnents to fiew that the Tafi is in the Palate, » The famous Enquirer into the Secrets of Nature, Malpighi, has difcover'd^ Papilla, or Nipples, in the Palate, or Roof of the Mouth, and in the Cheeks alfo ; fo that according to his Hypothefis, the Palate being likewife provided with the true Inftruments of Taft, miift neceifarily have that Senfation alfo. To this v/e may add, that the later Writings of the Profeflbrs Bergerus and Hoffmann^ publifhed iince the Year 1700. do alfo po.fitively afcribe the Tafl: to the Palate, afHrming, that Pliny in his Natural Hiftory has done the fame; but they are particularly induced thereto by the afore-menrioned Ob- fervations of Malpighi -, and farther, by the Account we have in the third Year of the German Eplmneridef, of a Child of about 8 or 9 Years old, in lower PoiEioUy who in the Small-Pox loft his whole Tongue by a Gangreen, and- fpit it out by Piece-meals ; infomuch, that at laft there did not remain any Sign that he had a Tongue. Notwithftanding which, this Child did not only Speak, Spit, Chew and Swallow his Viduals, but could likewife Taft, by the remaining Strufture of his Mouth ; and (as the Author, whowasa Sur- geon of 6'rt«?w^r, fays, c/;. 8 ) he could diftinguifh all kinds of Tafts very well ; from whence the Writer farther infers from Plmyj that the Taft muft alfo belong to the Palate. But fince this is a thing in which Experience, as in all others, cu«ht to be the Judge, and as the tryal hereof may be eaiily made -, Let a Man only take a little powder'd Sugar, Syrup, or any other S.vcer Matter, and lap it upon the Tongue; and as foon as ever they are melted, he will begin to Taft ; probably, becaufe they then begin to penetrate and fink into th\ Ori- fices of the upper Tegument of the Tongue, with tht moifture of the Spit- tle, and fo irritate the Nervous Papilla t\\2i.t lye under the fame. Eiit I d2 The Religious Philofopher. But if he proceed farther, and endeavour to fwallow the fweet Mattec when *cis melted, and to that End, preffes it with the Tongue againfl: the hinder Part of the Palate, he will plainly find, that that Part is likewife af- fe<9:ed with the Sweetnels ; and efpecially, if after fach Swallowing, he pre- fently draws the Tongue back again to the Palate, keeping it down in fudi a manner that it cannot touch the fame, he will find, that when afterwards the Tail of the Sugar does aft upon the Tongue a little more fenfibly, the Palate will be alfo more fenfibly aflfeded with it for a time. From whence, at leaft, of how little moment foever this Experiment is, all thofe difagree- ing Notions feem to be overthrown, and the Opinion, that the Senfe of Tail- ing is likewife in the Palate, is eftablilhed upon them. Sect. VII. The Inflruments of Smelling. N o w to pafs on to the Senfe of Smelling ; Can any one without acknow- ledging the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God, obferve, that whereas the Bone of the Head is otherwife fo hard, the Nerves of Smelling have a Bone to themfelves, which, in order to afford them a Paflage, is full of little Holes like a Sieve, and which is therefore called the Spongy or Sieve- like Bone ; thro' which the faid Nerves tranfmit their little Threads and Branches (be- ing there encompafl'ed by the Dura-Mater) to the Papillous Membrane or flelh, as fome call ir, which lines the Cavities that are in this Spongy-Bone, and in the Top of theNoftrils, and which Nerves are expanded therein, in - order probably to compofe the Infi:rument of Smelling ? For that this Inllru- ment, which produces Smelling, is not below, but at the Top of the Noftrils, appears from hence ; that in order to Smell, a drawing-in of the Breath is neceflary, whereby the Particles of the Olfadory Matter being mingled with Air, muft flrike with fome Force againft the Papillous Tegumenr, to pro- duce the Senfe of Smelling : And every one that holds his Breath, tho* never fo little, can eafily Experience, that tho' any Smell be brought under his Nofe, yet he is not affeded with it, till he draws in his Breath again. This Experiment feeraed indeed too trifling and too well known to be ttiention'd here,- were it not that a certain Learned and Ingenious Author had denied the fame. From whence again^ as above, in the Bufinefs of Tail- ing, the Weaknefs of all that is Humane does but too eafily appear. Sect. VIII. ConviEiions from the foregoing Obfervations, Now, can any one that is endued with Reafon deny the wife Difpofi- tions of thefe Inflruments, namely, that fince the Olfadory Particles are convey'd by the Air, the Infiruments of Smelling are to be found exadly in the Place thro' which the Air continually pafles and repaffes on the account of Refpiration > That they are placed jufl over the Mouth to communicate to us, at the firft, by this Senfe of Smelling, fome Knowledge of the Qua- lities of Meat and Drink which we are about to ufe ? That the Noftrils are broader at the Bottom, that they may receive fo much more of the Olfado- ry Particles ; but narrower at the Top, to the End, that by the Compreffion of thofe Particles, the Olfadory Membrane and Nerves may be the more powerfully affefled therewith } Sect. The Religious Thilofopher. 155 Sect. IX. T'he Senfe of Feeling. Besides the foregoing Senfes, the Inftmments of which are all difpofed in their proper Places, there it one more, which is called the Fee/ing, which is in a manner diftributed throughout the whole Body, efpecially, if we un- derhand thereby the Senfation oF Pain : But if we do not extend' it any far- ther than to that Power or Faculty by which, when we touch any Bodies without us, we are enabled to difcover the Roughnefs or Smoothnefs, the Solidity or Fluidity, and other Qualities thereof, we can only then fuppofe the Seat of this Senfe to be in the Skin. Accordingly, we know that this latter is diftinguifhed in the Latin Tongue by the Word TaSius, or Touching ; and that when we would mention the Senfation of Pain, we exprefs it by the Word Senfusj and not TaBus Doloris. Sect. X. 77?^ Infiruments of Feeling. Now that this laft, that is to fay the Touch, is only feated in the Skin, which \s naked and expofed to the Objeds that are without us, is fufR- ciently known to the Modern Anatomifts ; as alfo, that there is in the Skin a Difpofition and Contexture analogous to that of the Tongue, which the diligent Malpighi and others, find to confift fbefides the Blood and other Velfels) of Glands, each of which has a little Receptacle or Hole that is open externally, and affords a Palfage to the Sweat and Perfpiration : From whence it comes, that there arife outwardly from the faid Skin little Pyra- midal Protuberances, like Nipples, which are encompafled and fallen'd to- gether by a Reti-formous Body, lying between the Cutis and the CuticuJa. Thefe Papilla, or Nipples, are what have been of late Years, and with great Appearance of Truth, accounted the Inftruments of Feeling, becaufe the Microfcopes feem to inform us that they fpring from, the Nerves, the Branches of which are inferred very thick in the Skin, and are more nume- rous in Proportion, than thofe that run to the Mufcles or any other Parts, as the great Defcriber of Nerves, Vieufens, has fliewn in his Preface concer- ning them. It is likewife plain from hence, by the help of the Microfcope, that thefe Papillous Protuberances make the upper Skin rife in many Places, to the End, that it may be fo much the more eafily affeded by the Con- trad of External Bodies. Sect. XI. ConviSlions from the foregoing Ohfervations. How ufeful now this Senfe of Feeling is to Mankind in nnmberlefs Cafes, is fuiEciently known; and the more, becaufe every one that wants it, is in many Accidents difabled from preventing his Ruin j as has been found in . one, who having ioR the Senfe of Feeling, together with Motion, on one fide of the Body, and fetting too clofe to the Fire, was miferably Burnt before he was in the leafV aware of it. Can then an Atheifi fay, that he is not bound to be very thankful for fo great a Benefit as tins Faculty is, whereby he is immediately made fenfible of any violent Fleatr, and confequently ena- bled to avoid the fame and many other Inconveniencies ? Or will he fay, that 3 i^ i^^ The Religious Vhilqfopher. n is a (Imple and ignorant Caufe that has beftowcd this Senfe oF Fading not only upon one Man, but likewife upon all, and fixed it not m one only, but ia all the Parts ot the external Skin. Sect. XII. 7ke Fingers and Palms of the Hand have a more acute Senfe of Feeling than other Parts of the Body. I s it without Defign, that in thofe Parts in which we explore and feel i:xternal Objects, this Senle is much more fine and tender than in thofe which we feldom ufe for that Purpofe ; for it is known to every one, that a Man feels more accurately with the Hollow or Palm of the Hand, or the Tips or excream Parts ot" the Fingers, than in moft other Places ? And this is one of thofe Reafons from whence it is inferr'd, that this Pa- pillous Body which lies between the Skin and the upper Membrane, is the real Inftrument of Feeling : Since it appears by Experience (according to the Teftimony of Malpighi, and after him of Bohniiu, Bergertis, and others) that in thofe Places, namely, the Palm of the Hand and the Tops of the Fingers, which above other Parts are particularly ufeful in Feeling, there is likewife a greater Colledion of thefe Papilla, or Protuberances, than in the other Parts of the Body, which are not fo frequently ufed for that purpofe. It is likewife obferved by Bergerus, that thefe Papilla are much more nume- rous, as well as large, at the Tip of the Tongue, and in the Lips ; and that thefe Parts do feel more accurately, as itisneceary they fliould, to the end, that they may immediately difcover when the Food is too warm or prejudi- cial any other ways. Sect. XIII. ConviBions from i^hat has been f aid above y concerning aU the Ex- \^rnal Senfes. W E do now here intreat all fuch as flill feem to doubt of the Wifdom, Goodnefs and Power of their Great Creator, yea, even the moft unfortunate and obdurate Atheifts, in cafe they can or will receive any kind of Inftrufti- on that they would ferioufly confider with us this wonderful Difpofition and Strufture of the Senfes, and the vaft Advantages accruing thereby, not only to one, but even to all Men who are in Health : And then let 'em fay, whether they can ftill maintain with a good Confcience, that the Greatnefs and Goodnefs of Him that formed them, does not Ihine out as brightly, yea, and more too in all thefe things, than the Skill of an Artificer in the Conftruftion of any curious Machine. When he confiders that fhe Smell and the Taft do likewife ferve to in- form us not only of the good and bad Qualities of our Food, but that the Pleafure which we find thereby excited in us, is an Inducement to undergo this daily and continual Labour and Trouble of Eating and Drinking; will he fay, that this happens by Chance, and that he is not at all indebted to Pro- vidence for all this ? that is to fay, for fuch noble Exhalations and Perfumes that proceed from fo many Plants, Herbs, Flowers, Gums, Spices and o- ther Things j for fuch a variety of agreeable Tafts, which he daily enjoys i from The Religious Thilofopher. itt from all thofe Eatables and Drinkabks that ferve for Food and Refrefli- menc to us. When he fees that feveral Parts belonging to our Bodies, fuch as Bones Nails, Hair, Teeth, fo far as they are naked, have no Senfacion in them! and yet our whole Body is encompafs'd externally with a Covering and Skin which has the Facuicy of making known to, and informing us of every ' thing that does fenfibly approach and touch it. Can he think fuch a Struduie as this is brought about without any wife Defign, and will not any intelli- gent Ferlon think it unconceivable ^ When he confiders, that the great Wonder of the Sight enables him to contemplate the Sun, the Moon, and even thofe Stars that are at an uncon- ceivable Diftance from him ; and that this Senfe is adapted to an Enquiry into the Magnitude and Motion of fuch glorious Creatures, and to remark their Laws and Properties j that this Senfe of Seeing can impart to him the Knowledge of many things chat are out of the Reach of all the other Senfes ; that its Inftruments are of fo wonderful aStrufture as has been already (hewn: That to the end, that nothing may be wanting to render this Senfe com- pleatly ufeful, the incommenfurable Space of the Heavens is every where fil- led with Light : And particularly, that this Senfation fliould not be produ- ced in Men without Pleafure and Agreeablenefs, the unconceivable Number of Rays of Light is divided into fo many Kinds, either of Figure or Motion, to reprefent to us all vifible Objeds with the mofl pleafing Colours, Can he ft ill fancy, that there is no Defign or Contrivance in all this ; and that fuch a wonderful Order and Regularity of every thing, with refped to each other, whereby the Light is thus adapted to the Eye, and the Eye to the Light, are all of *em the Refult of Caufes working together without C3rder, and without Underftanding ? Let him once agaia ask himfelf thefe Quefti- ons in his moft ferious Retirement. The rather, if he obferves, that the Hearing informs us of the Motion; and Percuflion of Bodies; of which we oftentimes can get no Knowledge by other Senfes ; no, not even by the Sight : That therefore, fince the Light does only caufe us to fee fuch Objeds as are before us, the Rays of it only moving in right Lines ; the Hearing warns us of things that are round about us, and fuch as are fometimes even concealed from the Sight, becaufe Sounds pafs thro' all imaginable Curvities. Without this Senfe of Hearing, how great would the Trouble be in com- municating our Thoughts to each other ? What Inconveniencies would oc- cur to every one in Learning of Arts and Sciences, in Trade, in Pleading, and other Worldly Affairs ? Now let one of the mofl conceited Philofophers, one of the moft Strong Minds, in his own Opinion, or rather one of the moft to be lamented Atheifts, tell us here, in cafe he had always wanted one of his Senfes, for inftance, that of the Sight, whether by the Help of all his Philofophy, he could ever have known or learned what a fort of Senfation that was, or how Men are affeded with that which we call Seeing. B b Let 1 16 The Religious Philofopher. Let him make known to us, (ince the bodily Inftruments of all our Scnfes are all equally produced by, and do confift of the fanfie Bread, Water, and other kinds ot Food ; how it comes to pafs, that his Hand has not the Fa- culty of feeing as well as his Eye ; that his Foot does not hear as well as Ear aitho' the Light and ihe Air may be made to fall upon thofe Parts in the 'fame Figure and Motion. Can any one think, that their different Forms produce fuch Senfacions ? Let him then fhew us how they do it : Let him examine his Meat and Drink after all imaginable Ways, and tell us the Rea- fon, why the fame Bread in the Ears becomes an Inflrument of Hearing, in the* Tongue of Tailing, in the Nofe of Smelling, and in the Skin or Feel- ing : He mufl refolve it all into the abfolute Will of that adorable Creator, who is unfathomable in thefe his Ways, and who communicates to our Souls the Knowledge of thefe things in fo wonderful a Manner. He mufl there- fore be ft ark Blind that does not difcover G o d in all thefe Senfes. Is there no Defign or End to be obfei ved in all this ? Let then an unhappy Atheift tell us, if he had a mind to make himfelf or any other Perfon happy, and had the Power to do it, whether he would not endow them with every one of the Faculties that are found in thefe Senfes : And in cafe he could have prpduced any thing like them, tho' in a much lower degree of Perfedi- on by his Skill and Ingenuity, whether he would not think it a vrery great wrong done to him, if fome Body, judging of his Performance, fliould not, or would not fee the Wifdom and Contrivance of the Maker therein. And can he ftill remain infenfible of his own Blindnefs, who declines to acknow- ledge the fame in fo ailonifliing a Machine, as that of humane Bodies? The rather, whilft he perceives, that in order to render all our Senfes compleat and perfed. Air, Light, Plants, Living Creatures, and the whole Univerfe al- moft, muft contribute thereto. If then the Contemplation of all this cannot mduce him to acknowledge his Maker's Goodnefs, and his own Obligations on thefe Accounts, with the utraoft Gratitude ; let him but confider with himfelf, in what a deplora- ble Condition he would find himfelf and every thing befides, if Mankind were deprived of thefe Effeas of their Creator's Favour, which appear in all their Senfes : And let him for once fuppofe, that there was a Man who having none of thefe External Senfes, did neither See, Hear, Smell, Tafi, or Feel. Now, tho' a Man were always to live thus, even in good Health, could he fufikkntly exprefs the Miferies of fuch a State ? He that rightly weighs it, would he not rather wift to be dead, or to have never been born, or even to have been a Stock or Stone, than which he is but little bet- ter in fuch a State ? Now if without this Mercy of God, the Mifery of every particular Perfon would have been fo great ; to what Ihall we compare that of the vaft Number of Men, who together make up all the Nations of rhe Earth, in cafe there were to be found upon it no other Creatures, but Blind, Deaf, Infenftble, Sec. r l c r ^ Have we then beftowed upon ourfelves thefe Perfeaions ot the benles ? No, certainly : Has then mere Chance been able to do it ? By no means : For Chance is difpofed to operate as well one way as another j 2nd yet we find. The Religious Thihfopher. t 57 that far the greater Part, yea, all found People, are born with all theic Sen fes. Let therefore a miferable Atheift confefs, that he is not only ignorant, but that he muft likewifs for ever remain fo, of the manner in which our Senfes are produced, and do operate in us. All of them confift in a Motion and Iraprefllon chat external Objeas make upon us ; all of them confift of a Mo- tion and Paffion oi- fome of the Pares ot our Body; all of them confift of Inftruments produced by the fame Meat and Drink ,• and, according to the beft Philofophy, nothing elfe but a Motion of the fame Matter can be under- flood to refuit rrom fuch a Syfcem of Matter, Whence then proceed the various Conceptions which we find in ourfelves, upon Seeingy Hearings Tajimg, Smelling^ aad Feeling ? Muft not then the Atheift, fince there can be no other Subterfuge, acknowledge here, that there is fome- thing immaterial in us, which is the Caufe thereof? Let it be fo : But if it be incorporeal, how can it be moved by fomething that is corporeal ? For there is nothing but Bodies and Motions, both in the Matters round about us, and in the Inftruments themfelves of our Senfes : Will he fay then, that a Soul cannot be moved becaufe it is incorporeal ? How then does it happen, that a Subftance, which can neither be moved, nor touched by Bodies, is yet affeded by or through the Motions of Bodies ; and can See, Hear^ Tafi, Smell, or Feel? For that it is fo in Faft, cannot be denied. I think we need not ufe any farther Arguments to drive an Atheift into 2 Confeflion of his total Ignorance. And if he does not know how all thefe things come to pafs, as his own Confcience muft convince him that he does not, how can he, if he would be taken but for a tolerably wife Man, pre- tend to maintain it for a Truth, that a Thing, which he does not know- how it happens, can be produced by the neceflfary and ignorant Laws of Na- ture ; Let him reflefi: upon all thefe things moft ferioufly with himfelf, before he proceeds any farther. But if all that we have already faid concerning the Senfes, be not fufficietvt to convince him ; let us go one Step farther, and fhew, that even the Bounds themfelves, within which the Extent of the Power of our outward Senfes is confined, do likewife contribute to make us more happy, than if they could be extended a great deal farther, as in this laft Age they are found to do, by the help of artificial Inftruments. Let us fuppofe, that our Eyes had the Faculty of our modern Micro- fcopes ; it is true, that they would fliew us a World of new Creatures ; s, Drop of Pepper-water, or Vinegar, and the feminal Matter of Creatures, would appear like Ponds or Rivers full of Fifli ; the Scum of ftinking and putrified Liquors, like a Field full of Flowers and Plants; the Mites in Cheefe, like great hairy Spiders, and a thoufand other things in like Propor- tion; but it may be alfo no lefs eafily conceived, what a loathing of many Things, which in themfelves are otherwife very good and ufeful, thefe Swarms of Infers would produce in us, which perhaps would be more evident, if you had feen as I have, how fome People viewing the Mites in a piece of Cheefe thro' a Microfcope, and upon one of thefe exceeding fmall Creatures B b 2 falling 1^8 The Religious Thihfopher. falling ofl:, fuddenly fnatch'd away their Hands, for fear it fliould fall upon them, which, by reafon of the Smallnefs of the Creature, excited a general Laughter in fome of the Standers by ; but in others, more grave Reflexions on account of the Wifdom of God, who has been pleafed to conceal thefe things from the naked Eye of ignorant and fearful People : And yet to blefs the Difcoveries of Men by the Inventions of new Glafles, fo far, that the necelVary Means ftould not be wanting to fuch as endeavour to look into thefe Wonders. Moreover, would thefe Philofophers even dare to deiire, that their own Eyes ihould be endowed with the Qi^alities of the beft Microfcopes in cafe they underftood the Nature and Foundation thereof? And would they judge themfelves more happy, by feeing an Objedt fo fmall in itfelf, magnified to fo large a Size ? When in the mean time ail that their Sight could extend itfelf to, would be contained within more narrow Bounds than that of a Grain of Sand • nor would they be able to fee any Objeds plainly and di- flindtly, but fuch as were at no farther Diftance from their Eyes, than one or two Inches : And as for all other things that were more remote, fuch as Men, Beafts, Trees, and Plants, to fay nothing of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, thofe fublime Creatures, they would either be entirely invifible to them, or would appear at leaft very confufedly ; yea, if all this werefo, and that the natural Sight could penetrate as far as the fineft Microfcopes, none that have ever experienced the fame can deny, but that, by the Help of them, one may fee Bodies compounded of a thoufand little Particles ; and confe- quently, that in order to fee every thing truly, and in its Original or laft Parts, the Sight mud be flill extended unconceivably farther than fuch Mi- crofcopes have yet been able to carry it. Now, on the other hand, fuppofe our natural Eyes to be great Telc- fcopes, like thofe that have enabled us to obferve fo many new Stars in the Heavens, and make fo many new Difcoveries in the Sun, Moon, and Stars; they would be again liable to this Inconvenience, that they would be of very little ufe in feeing the Objeds that furround us, as they would like- wife not a little obftruft the Contemplation of all other Obje&s upon the Earth, becaufe they would fee too much of the Vapours and Exhalations continually arifing from the Ground, which, like great thick Clouds, would hide every other vifible Matter ; as is but too well known to fuch as ufe thefe Inftruments. Thus likewife, if the Senfe of Smelling (hould be as acute and nice in Men, as it feems to be m fome kinds of Hunting- Dogs ; no Perfon, no Creature, could ever meet us ; nor could we pafs by any Footfteps of them without being llrongly affefted with the Effluvia that proceeds from them ; and we fliould be forced to turn our Attention, tho' never fo much againft our Wills; and tho' we ought to apply it to more exalted Objeds, I fay, we fhould be compelled to fix it upon thefe contemptible Matters. In cafe the Tongue (hould make us taft Food of the lowefl Savour with, as high a Senfation as now the frrongeft and fineft Ragouts, or made Diflies do produce , there need no farther Proof to induce every one to confefs, than this The Religious Thilqfopher. i ^o this alone would fufEce to render Tuch Food very difagreeable to us after ha- ving ufed it but a few times. Could the Hearing To nicely obferve all its Sounds, as it is now found to do, when, by the help of the long Tube, or Speaking Trumpet held to the Ear^ any Body whifpersfoftly into the broad End of it ,• how little Attention would People have for fome Things? Certainly no more than we have when we find ourfelves in the midft of confufed Noife and Bawling of a great many Voices or the loud Peals of Drums and Guns. They that have ever been witnefs of the Inconveniencies that (ick People undergo by hearing too acutely, will eafily be convinced of this Truth. If the Feeling were fo tender and nice in all the Parts of the Body, as we find it in the mofl fenfible Places, and in the Membranes of the Eyes; muft we not own that we fhould be very unhappy, and fufter a great deal of Pain too, by the touch of the lightefl Feather? To conclude ; can any Body refled upon all this, without acknowledging therein the Goodnefs of his Maker, who has not only furnifhed him with fuch noble Perfedions, as are the external Senfes, for want of which, he would not be better than a Stock ; but who has likewife out of his adorable Wif- dom, included thefe Powers within fuch Bounds, without which they would have been no other than burdenfome to us, and a perpetual Obftrudion in the attentive Contemplation of greater Matters ? If it fhould appear to fome, that we have dwelt longer upon this Subjed than is perhaps agreeable to 'em; let them be pleafed to remember, that our principal Defign throughout this whole Work, is, to reprefent to Infidels and Athsifls, the Wifdom and Goodnefs of their Creator, which fhines out fo brightly in the external Senfes of Men, and the unconceivable Faculties, or Properties thereof. CONTEMPLATION XV. of the Union of the Soul and Body : Of the Imagination and Memory. Sect. I. 7 he Union of the Soul and Body unknown to us : Convifliom from hena^ NO W fince each of thefe external Senfes do lead us up to the Soul ,• can there likewife be any Perfon fo unhappy, as truly to refled upon this Wonder, furpaffing the Conception of ail the Philofophers, this moft aHonifh- in<' Manner, after which the Body is united to the Soul, without being there- bv^convinced of the unexprefTible Power and Wifdom of Him that made 'em > Of Him, who has fhewa himfelf in this, as well as in many other things, af- ter i6o The Religious Vhihjophef. ter a glorious Manner, both wonderful and adorable ; who, whilft He thus Works in Ways untathomable by all Men^ doesiikewife compel even his Ene- mies to be Witneiles thereof. And tho' others may think that they can form any Notions thereof^ yet an Atheift muft confefs, that there is fomething in it which is perfedly unintelli- gible to him. For fuppofe he (hould boldly maintain, that the corporeal Matter (in which, however, he can Ihew us nothing but Motion) has the Property of Thinking and Underftandingj let him tell us, and fhew us, what Compofi- tion of Parts, what Force, what Swiftnefs, what Limits and Diredlions of Courfe, either according to right or crooked Lines, are required in Matter thus moved, to render it capable of reafoning and comprehending a mathe- matical Demonftration. And we Ihall not need to ask him, whether this fur- paifes his Underftanding. Or, fuppofe alfo, that he fliould, according to Reafon and Experience, affirm, that his Soul is incorporeal ; let him fhew us, how it comes to pafs, that a Soul being immaterial in its Exiftence, and which, according to all the Notions we are wont to form of it, can neither touch or be touched by a Body, and yet can be affeded by., or through^ or according to the Motion of the Body (for we fhall not here difpute about the manner of it, that being not necefl'ary with refpeft to Athiefts) and vice verfa, the Soul can afFed and move the Body, or at leaft adrainifter Occafion thereto, which^ for the foregoing Reafons, we need not now examine : So that by its mere Will, the Body be- ing in good Health, the ftretching out the Hand, for inftance, immediately follows ; and if that Hand fhould be burnt, the Soul immediately feels Pain. Now if all this were not as certainly known to him, as the moft certain thing in the World is, forafmuch as he can be every Minute convinced thereof, by repeated Experiments, would not he be tempted to look upon fo difagreeing Notions, and which have not the leaft Analogy to one another, as grofs Falftioods and vain Conceptions of the Brain ? Wherefore, whatever an Atheift may fancy to himfelf, the manner of the Union of the Soul and Body muft always remain unconceivable and unintelligible to him. 1 know very well, in cafe we proceed no farther, that the great Difagree- ment, concerning the manner in which the Body is moved by the Will, and which has occafioned many Treatifes among great and wife Men, muft be left undetermined by us : But neither is this the Place, nor yet the Time, to fay any thing about it, fince we only write for the Conviftion of Atheifts ; whereas the others, howmuchfoever they differ in their Opinions, do all a- gree in the Belief of a God. Sect. H. The Bounds of this Union. This Union of the Soul and Body is not only wonderful in itfelf, and in. the manner in which it happens, but likewife in the Bounds and Limits which are prefcribed to it. We find it thus in the firft Place, that the Soul does not operate by its Will (however it be) upon our whole Body ; or rather, that our ivhole Body is mtfubjetl to the Soul in its Motions^ but only, as it (hould feem^ thofe 3 Parts The Religious Fhilofophen i6i Parts that receive their Nerves from the CerebeUum and Back-Bone : Where- fore it is only our Arms, Hands, Legs, and all thofe Members with which we are faid to aft freely i that are moved according to the Pleafure of the Soul J whilft other Parts, which have their Nerves from the Cerebrum, and which do only ferve for Life and the Support thereof, as the Hearty the Arte- riesy the Stomach, the Bowels, &c, do by no means obey the Will of the Soul nor, like the former, can be moved or ftopt at Pleafure. Secondly, Neither does the Soul feel when every Part of the Body is aEied upon or offeBed. Thus we find, that belides the Hair and Nails, the Bones themfelves are likewife infenfible; all which make up a great Part of our Body : Not to mention that the Lungs are known to wafle away in many Men without Pain ; and that the Chirurgical Obfervations teach us, that the Subftance of the Brain may fuffer very much, without communicating any Senfation thereof to the Soul. Sect. IIL ConviSiions from thence. Can now a deplorable Atheifl think he has fo much caufe to accufe the Chriftians of Credulity, when he hears them make the following Conclufion from the above-mentioned Premifes : That fince no Body can juftly afcribe all this to mere Chance, working indifferently one way as well as another, this is a true and convincing Proof, that it can by no means proceed from a neceflfary Series of Laws of Nature, always operating after one and the fame manner, that the Soul fhould have the aforefaid Relation or Refped to the Body : Forafmnch as the Wife Creator being defirous to convince us all, that He neither operates by Chance, nor is confined and determined by certain ne- cefl'ary Laws, but freely, and according to his own good Pleafure, has rendered fome Parts of the Body obedient to the Will of the Soul ; and caufed others to move entirely independent thereupon ; neverthelefs, thefe lafl, as well as the firfl:, are fo far fubjefted to the Soul, at leafl related to it, that both the one and the other, fo long as the Soul remains united to the Body, but no longer, are enabled to perform their Fundions, and remain without Corruption. And that Atheift that will hearken to Reafon, feems particularly to be obliged to juflifie a Chriftian in the aforefaid Conclufion, fince it is jufl thofe Parts that ferve for the fupport of our Life, fuch as the Heart, Stomach, and other Entrails, that are not only not fubmitted to our Will, but moved un- known to it, by the Power of the Great Creator, that he may convince us of our Dtpendance upon him. Whereas, on the contrary, the Motion of fuch Members as the Tongue, Hands, and the refl, are left to the Difpofition of our Will, that they may ferve to acknowledge and glorify our Great Benefador, likewife in our Bodies, which is what He v/ith fo much Juftice requires of us. Sect. IV, The Imagination and Memory. There would yet have been fomething fiill wanting to the Perfedion of a humane Creature, notwithflanding this wonderful Union of the Soul and Body, if we could nor have exercifed the Underflanding and other Faculties ot our Souls upon fuch Objeds only as are prefent or before us. Nor would outv 1 62 The Religious Vhilqfopher. our Tadgments and Inferences, or Deduaions, have been of much weight, if wc couid not have compared prefent Things with any other paft or future. How fhould we have been able, for inftance, to have made any ufeful Di(- coveries about the Laws of the Sun's Motion, in cafe nothing thereof were known to us befides what we could learn from things piefent ? For as to^thofe that are abfent, fuch as things paft or to come ; the external Senfes, tho* they be the firft Helps of enquiring into all bodily Matters, cannot inform us the lead thereof. Even the Hearing itfelf, which feems otherwife to be in forae meafure adapted thereto, would yet be entirely unfit and ufelefs to this Pur- pofe, v/ithoiic the other Powers, of which we are now about to treat. Our Gracious Creator, in order to multiply his Wonders upon us, and to render us compleat:y happy, has been pleafed to fupply this Defe6t likewife, and to lodge in us a Power ot reprefenting to the Underftanding, even paft, future, and all abfent Things. The firft of thefe Faculties is named, by the Philofophers, the Memory ; the laft, the Imagination. Whether it be now that thefe owe their Origin to certain Motions of the Spirits, or Humours^ or Membranes^ produced by our external Senfes or Jhougha, and le'avin^ behind them Traces and Foocfteps in the Brainy which give our Souls an occafton to think after fuch a manner, as if the things reprefented to the Imagination or Memory, were really -prefent : Or whether there be 'any other Caufe thereof; this is certainly true, that the endowing Mankind with fuch a Power, does far exceed the very wifeft Difcoveries. And in cafe we were not affured thereof by Experience, who could believe that it was pofli- ble for any Man to reprefent to himfelf things having no Exiftence, as if they wereexifting; dead things as living; and thus render an Obje we know well enough, that there was never any third ? Sect, 1 68 The Religious Thihfopher. Sect. VIIL Pf^hy ive have not treated more fully and minutely upon the Bujtnefs of Generation. Whoever reads this will perhaps think it ftrange that we have not fpoken more largely concerning the Affair of Procreation, fince the Provi- dence, Wifdom, and Power, oi: the Great Creator fhines forth fo irrefiftably and glaringly in that whole Matter. But they may be pleafed to know, that the fame Reafons that made us keep Silence, or fpeak fparingly upon many o- ther of the foregoing Subjedts, fuch as the manner after which the Separation of the Humours is made, the Tumifadion or Swelling of the Mufcles, the Ufes of the external Senfes, the Limits of the fo called Senforium Commune^ and many more, have induced us likewife to obferve the fame Caution here -, •viz,, becaufe the Truth has not yet been confirmed by Experiments in fo fure a manner, but that there ftill remains a great Variety and Difference in Opi- nions among the moft learned Men concerning them. Sect. IX. The Principles^ or Stamina, of Living Creatures. Whether it be then, that the firfl Principle, or Stamen, of Men is to be fought for among the Animalcula, or among other Particles without Life in- deed, but put into Motion (for thus differently are they defined by fome of the mofl famous Enquirers into Nature) which, by the help of Microfcopes are difcover'd in Semine mafcuUm, of all Creatures that have been hithgrto ex- amined : Whether it be to be found in the Eggs of the Females, as others pretend ; or laftly, whether it be that the Coition of both the Sexes is neceila- rily required to the Formation of this Stamen ; all which we do not pretend to determine here : This is however fure enough, and after fo many Enquiries, is received by all the modern Philofophers, that all living Creatures what- ever proceed from a Stamen or Principle, in which the Limbs and Mem- bers of the Body are folded and wound up as it were in a Ball of Thread ; which by the Operation of adventitious Matter and Humours are filled up and unfolded, till the Strudure of all the Parts have the Magnitude of a full grown Body. In order to be convinced thereof, the Reader may confult the Obfervations of the great Harvey, both upon Men and Beafls, both the Vivi- parous, or fuch as bring forth their Young alive, and the Oviparous, or thofe that lay Eggs, in his Book de Generatione Animalium. And after him the ac- curate Malpighi, in the Experiments he makes upon the Hatching of an Egg, and the Formation of a Chicken in the Egg. Thus we find the firfl: of thofe fpeaking of it in his i$th Exercitation ; That the Stamen, to the befl of his Knowledge^ before he had obferve d it, was ac- counted by no Body to be the firfl Origin of the Chicken. And Malpighi fpeaks of it in the following manner : IVherefore it mud be owned that the Stamen of a Chicken is already in the Egg before the Hatching; and therefore mufl have proceeded from a higher Caufe after the fame manner, as in the Eggs of Plants. Thus he makes an entire Analogy between the Stamina of Living Creatures and the Seeds of Plants: In which laft he is likewife wont, for the fame Reafon, to mention fome Parts by the Name of the Uterus, Placenta, and the like, which are only proper to Living Creatures. It The Religious Thilofopher. i6^ It lliall fuffice here, to have quoted thofe two great Men for the Confir- mation of the Truth of what has been before- mentioned, lince they feetn to have been the firft Difcoverers thereof: And lince all the great Naturaliils of this Age have been convinced thereby, and by their own further Experiments that the Beginning of all Creatures confift in a Stamen, as may be fhewn m numberlefs Places of their Writings, which thofe that pleafe may have re- conrfe to. I would have been fomething more particular upon this Subjed here, which feems to be the proper Place for handling it : But forafmuch as the Encreafe and Growth of Animals from thefe little Stamina, may receive a great Light from thofe of Plants, which may be found in every Seed ; I chufe rather to refer my Reader to Contemplation XXIII. where I exprefsly treat of that Sub- je6i: ; or rather to the Obfervations upon Plants, of thofe famous Philofophers Meffieurs Grew and Malpighi, where he may find Experiments enough, to (hew that a Plant is produced from a Stamen, and a living Creature from a like Sta- men; or, to fpeak in their ufual Language, is unfolded, as we fee in a Silk- worm, where the Butterfly comes out of the Amelia, in which la(t all the Parts of the Butterfly are involved or roll'd up. See Malpighi de Bo?nbyce. And fince we have already an experimental Certainty, that a Male and Fe- \ male Creature are neceflary toward the Procreation of another of the like Spe- cies ; I leave it to thofe that have the Opportunity of carrying their Enquiries farther, what is performed by each of 'em in particular, towards Generati- on ; as likewife, whether in the Egg of a Female, the folid Parts of the Sta- men of the future Creature are to be found ,• and whether it be impregnated and vivified by the Semen Mafculinum, and brought into Motion agreeable to the Laws of the feminal Matter. This feems to have acquired fome Degree of Probability j forafmuch as we know that the Body of a Man does only confift of folid and fluid Parts, but is likewife endowed with certain Laws, purfuant to which all the Parts are moved ; fo that thereby the fame Bread, which at firft according to the Laws to which 'twas Subje(5i: in the Plant, was Wheat or Rye, being afterwards eaten by a Pullet, does, according to other Laws, become Pullets Flefli jand finally, this Pullet being again converted into humane Food, becomes' the Fiefh of a Man ; and fo in other Cafes. This might caufe fome Sufpicions, whetherlhat which is difcover'd by the Help of a Microfcope in Semine Mafculino (which the accurate Verheyen, Part. IL p. 69. aflerts to be Particles put in Motion, and not the Stamina of Living Creatures) may not be that Matter, which, according to the Laws that the Great Creator of all Things has produced in every particular Man and Beaft, being put into Motion (and like Fire that kindles other Matters, or Yeaft that ferments other Liquors, and moves them according to its own Laws) does propagate and maintain the Laws of the required Motions in other Subftan- ces : Whereupon the Obfervation of Mr. Hartfoker, as related bv the faid Verheyen, are very remarkable ; it appearing thereby, that this mov'd Matter in Semine Mafculino, does preferve its Motion fome Hours in the Cold, but in the Heat it foon difappears. This feems better to agree with Particles 2 that lyo The Religious Philofopher. that evaporate with Warmth, than with Animalailay which ufually (land in need of it, and are firft produced by Warmth; at leaft, if we fiippofe thefe Parades to be divefted of Animal Life, and to be only M^uter put into Mo- tion, this abfurd Confequence may be prevented, namely, that in the Semine Mafculino o( QVQuy Creature, there mud bs a thoufand loit for one that comes to good. Experience does likewife fcem to confirm the faid Hypothefis (that from the Female proceeds the Matter, and from the Male the Particles that pro- pagate the Laws of Motion therein ;) forafmuch as a Mule is produced from the Coition of a Horfe and an Afs ; and fo in other Mixtures of different Species. The above-mention'd Mr. J^^r/j^j^;?, />. 71. may be confulted here- upon. But this may (uffice for Probabilities, lince, as far as I know, no Body has yet been able to give us an entire Decifion of this Matter. Sect. X. ConviBions from the foregoing Ohfervations. Only forafmuch as it is now found to be experimentally true in almoft all kinds of Plants and Living Creatures, that have been enquired into, that the former have their Origin in a Seed, and the latter in Stamina^ but none from meet accidental Caufes, as Corruption and the like, I cannot upon this oc- cafion forbear entreating the unhappy Atheift, if any Convidions will yet fatisfy him, that he would be pleafed ferioudy to refled on all thefe things by himfelf, and then pronounce, whether mere Chance, or other Caufes, ignorant of what they did when they thus aded, could produce all thefe Stamina of Men (not to mention here the Seeds of Plants, and Eggs of other Creatures) with fo much Art, and in fo great a Number, and could infertand fold up all the Limbs and Joints of fuch a wonderful Machine, as is the Humane Body, in fo nice and accurate a manner, that the fame fhould be fiU'd up and nourifhedby Juices, or (to ufc the common Technical Word) having expanded or infolded it, would bring this Body into fuch a Difpo- fition and Strufture as is neceffary for fo many great Purpofes for which it is formed. The Atheifl cannot be ignorant how many Learned Men have openly ac- knowledged in their Writings^ the Almighty Power of the Great Creator, upon enquiring into thefe his wonderful Works and Productions of Men, Beafts and Plants from fuch/^feeming inconfiderable and contemptible Sta- mina. Now then one of thefe two things muft be true ; either that it is a certain and undeniable Demonflration of a G o d, or that fo many famous Men are utterly ignorant wherein the Strength of fuch a Proof confifts, and are therefore to be accounted compleat Vifionaries or Whimfters, if not meer Fools. This lafl muft be aflerted by the Atheift concerning moft of the fa- mous Undertakings of the late Age, or elfe he muft abandon his unhappy Principles. Let him therefore confider with himfelf, for what he himfelf muft pafs, with all Rational and Equitable Perfons, Sect* The Religious Philofopher» iji Sect. XI. Several Difficulties removed. Now that a Stamen, which perhaps at firft contained nothing more than the Quantity oi a little Grain of Sand, and perhaps lefs, can be unfolded or expanded to the Magnitude of a Humane Body of Six 1 oot long, a Ma- thematician will freely, and even an Atheift himfeU, if he underlUnds any thing of the Mathematicks, rauft confefs. But foiafmuch as others, and even fome well-meaning Chriftians, cannot eafily conceive this great Expan- fion of fuch a fmall Stamen^ and may therefott think it impoiTible, it feems proper and ufeful too, to remove this Difficulty, by (hewing the Poflibi- lity thereof Let it therefore be fuppofed ; I. That the Divine Power can divide a determinate Quantity of Matter (for inftance, a little Grain of Sand, or any thing lefs) into fo many Parts, and more than any Man can exprefs by a definite Number. No Body can deny this; and even an Atheift muft acknowledge, that in refpect to this Grain of Sand, fuch a Divifion or Separation of Parts, does neither include a Contradidion, nor any Impoffibiliiy in itfelf II. That a Foot being divided into ten Parts, each of thofe Parts may contain a hundred Grains of Sand ; which many other do admit with us. III. That the Body of a Man, which is Six Foot high, may be fuppofed to contain in it Six Cubical Feet; which, allowing for the Cavities therein, may be a pretty juft Calculation. IV. Now fince loo Sands do compofe the tenth Part of a Foot in length, which we will here call an Inch, and ten fuch Inches in a Foot, a thoufand Sands will go to the length of one Foot ; and confequently (fuppofing, for convenience fake, the Sands to be fo many little Cubes, 1,000,000,000 or (to exprefs this Number with more Brevity, or the Unite with nine Cyphers) 10' Sands do compofe one Cubical Foot, which being multiplied by Six, makes the whole number of Sands, that may be contained in a Hu- mane Body of Six Foot in length, amount to 6,000,000,000, or 60' ; from whence it appears, that in cafe fuch a Stamen,^ no bigger than a fmall Grain of Sand, were divided into <5,ooo,ooo,ooo, of Parts in each fpace ot a Sand in this Body, one Particle of the faid Sand might be placed. V. Now to proceed further, fince it appears from the XXVI. Contemphtioyiy §. 1(5. of Mr. Leeuwenhoeky that Toio of the length of a Sand, is the utmoft that can be diftinguiflied by a Microfcope ; to the end, that we may not take any Qiiantity that may not be juftly fufpeded of not being diftindly vifible, let us take the rsio of this length , fo then tooToos of a Sand's length is in- capable of being diftindly view'd by any Microfcope. Since then there go 10" of fuch Particles into the Compofition of one Sand, there will be 6027 of fuch little Cubical Spaces in a Humane Body of Six Foot in length ; but by reafon of their Smallnefs^ they will be undiftinguifliable, even with the bed Microfcopes. D d Now 172 The Religious Thilofopher. Now if we fuppofe that in each of thefe fmall Spaces there be a Million of Parts in one Sand, there wi,l go to the Compoficion of the aforemention'd Body 60" of the like Particles of Sand. VI. Now in cafe the Stamen of a Man, which we have fuppofed to be as big as a fingle Grain ot Sand, were divided into fo many, or into do'' Parts j its Parts may be fo difpofed and expanded, that in each fmall Space of a Humane Body of Six Foot in length (which Parts, by reafon of their Small- nefs, have not yet been able to be diftinguifhed by the fineft Microfcope) there may be contained a Million of fuch Particles oi Sand. And fince the Interftices between the Particles of the Stamen are yet fo much fmaller than the aforefaid little Spaces, they will be yet lefs vifiblethro' a Microfcope, and confequenrly almofl invifible to the naked Eye j certainly in no manner diftinguifiiable. VII. And thus it appears to be poffible that fuch a fmall Stamen, no bigger than a Sand, may be expanded and brought to the analogous Compofition of a Humane Body of Six Foot long; which Body, in its whole Matter, did not contain more than the quantity of this fingle Sand, yet in fuch a manner, that there was not one vifible Place therein fo fmall, in which there were not contained more than a Million of Particles of this little Stamen: Between all which Particles, there were flill remaining fo many Interlaces or Vacuities, that this Body, which, by reafon of its Lightnefs, might be deemed little more than a Shadow, can be fo filled with flowing and adven- titious Parts, fixing themfehes in thefe Infierftices, and cloathing as -it were the Parts of this Stamen, that it at lall attains to the Weight and Size of a Common Body of a full grown Man. VIII. And to the end that no Eody may be furprized at thefe minute Divifions of the quantity of a Grain of Sand, he will find in ProjeJJor Keifs IntroduSiion, p. 55. fomething that may appear much more wonderful to him, of which, however, the the Poffibility is there demonftrated ; viz,, how not only a Body of Six Foot in length, but even that unmeafurable Space, con- taining in its Circumference the Starry Heavens, or even a much larger, if you pleafe, may be filled and obfcured by the Dui^ of one fingle Grain of Sand, after fuch a manner, that not fo much as a Ray of Light, tho' never fo fine, Ihall be able to pafs between the Parts of that Sand : Imagine then how far this furpafles all that we have fuppofed to happen in a Humane Body. IX. To prove this by a like Experiment, we fhall fhow in our Contem- plation upon Light, that a Particle of the Tallow of a Candle, not ex- ceeding the quantity of a fingle Grain of Sand, is really and aftually divided into many more than the aforefaid <5o'' Parts. To demonftrate this very briefly here, you will find in the jufl: now mentioned Contemplation, that a Cubical Inch of Candle-Tallow does emit or yield the Number of 259517040*'° Parts of Light. Now, according to Numb. IV. here above, there are 1,000,000 Sands in the quantity of fuch a Cubical Inch, and confequently there proceed from a Particle of Tallow, of the bignefs of one Sand, 26^^17040'^ Parts of Light. And The Religious Thilofopher. i 7 c^ And according to Numh.Vl. the Stamen that was likewife of the lize of a Sand, was fuppofed to be divided into 60'' Parts. By which number of the like Paiticles, which proceed from the quantity of a Sand, or are divided into 25951 7040 '"^ Parts, there will proceed 44936173 with a little Fradion. From whence it appears, that each little Particle of this Stamen, how fmall foever it may be (to rake a round Num- ' her) may be ftill divided into 44, and very near 45 Millions of Parts, be- fore each of them arrive to the Smallnefsof one of the Particles of Light, that continually flows from a Burning-Candle. Now that thefe exceeding fmall Particles are not unneceflary, on account of their Smallnefs, but are made ufe of to great Purpofes in the Univerfe, fhall be hereafter demonftrated in our 25th Contemplatton ; as it is manifeft from thofe of Fire, which are found every where in the vifible World, and are made ufe of by the Great Governour thereof for fuch wonderful as well as terrible Ends. And thus will it appear plain enough, as I think, that in fuch Expanfion and Divifion of this Stamen, we do not come near to that minutenefs, into which we fee experimentally that other Bodies in the World may be divided. Sect. XII. ConviSiiom from the foregoing Obfervations. We do not here pretend to determine the Manner that God has been pleafed to make ufe of in the Expanfion of his Created Stamina -, we muft leave that to his infinite Wifdom, whofe Ways, herein efpccially, are in- fcrutable, or paft finding out ; nor have we had any other View in what we have faid' concerning it in the foregoing SeEiion, than to convince the Atheifts, that they had a Maker, and to fet things in a fomewhat clearer Light be- fore the Eyes of fuch Chriftians that are not juft accuftom'd to compute thefe Matters after the manner^f Mathematical Propofitions; and therefore might find fome Difficulty in expanding fuch a Small Stamen to the fimilar State of a full grown Body. , .„ r r ah ,• Let then an unhappy Philofopher, who will not yet confefs an AlUrulmg God from what has been faid before; let him, I fay, retire to fome foli- tary place, and ferioufly contemplate his own Body, and then judge, whe- ther it could poflibly come to pafs, without a wife Direaion, that from fo fmall and tender 2l Stamen, expanded, filled or fluffed out, andcloathed with other Matter a Body fo wonderfully formed and adapted to fo many Ufes in all the Limbs and Parts, has been produced. What is there in a Watch, and in the adjufling of all its Wheels, Springs, &c. that can be compared to the wonderful Formation of a Humane Body ? And yet, was ever any Body fofenflefs, or, to fpeak in fofter Terms, fo deplorably unhappy, that he fhould dare to maintain, in the prefence of Underflanding Perfons, that the Watch which he carries in his Pocket, was framed in that manner, without any Wifdom or Defign. Dd 2 Sect. 1 74 The Religious Thilofopher. Sect. XIII. Iranjltion to a Demonftration againfi Chance. But as little as we know touching the Manner of the Produdion of Hu- mane Kind i yet in what we daily fee thereof (tho' fcarce obferved by any) there is a very remarkable and flrong Proof of a Divine Providence, adapt- ing all things to its wife Purpofes, and a plain Demonftration, that the World is by no means governed by Chance. Before I propofe it, I find my felf obliged to acquaint my Reader, that the Difcovery thereof is owing to the Ingenuity of Dr. Arbuthmtj a. famous Ma- thematician, Member of the Royal Society, and Phyfician in Ordinary to the late Queen of England^ who has been fo kind as to tranfmit it to me thro' the Hands of Mr. Burnet^ the worthy Son of the late Bifliop of Salif- hury, fo famous and fo well known to the Learned World ; the which Mr. Burmt is likewife himfelf a great Mathematician, and Fellow of the faid Society, and has allowed me the Honour to adorn this Treatife therewith. Sect. The Religious Thilofopher. 175 Sect. XIV. A Table of the Number of Males and Females Chrijl en d yearly in London in 82 Tears. Ann. 1529 Males. 5218 30 4858 31 4422 32 4PP4 33 6158 34 5035 35 5oi(5 3^ 4917 37 4703 38 535P 39 5366 40 5518 41 5470 42 5460 43 4793 44 4107 45 4047 4<5 3768 47 379^ 48 33^3 49 3'^79 50 2890 51 ^3231 52 3220 53 319^ 54 3441 55 3^55 5^ 3668 57 339^ 58 ■ 3157 59 3209 5o 37M di 4748 61 5216 ^3 5411 54 6041 ^5 5114 ^5 4^78 67 $616 68 6073 69 6505 Females. 4683 4457 4102 4590 4839 4820 i 4928 4605 44)7 4952 4784 5332 5200 4910 4617 3997 3919 3995 353^ 3181 2746 2722 2840 2908 2959 3179 3 349 3382 3289 3018 2781 3247 4107 4803 4881 5681 4858 4319 5322 55^0 5829 ;»// Ann. Males. Females. 1-670 6278 57^9 71 t 6449 6061 72 6443 6120 73 6073 5822 74 6\17, 5738 . 75 ^ 6058 5717 76 or the faid Sum of 11429 muft be multiply'd by itfelf. II. That all the Co-efficients, or Genitures of the Terms, taken together, or the Power of the two Numbers, whereof 11429 is the Exponenty yield the Quantity of all the Chances that can happen concerning the faid 11429 Pieces of Money. We will call the fame p ~^q. III. That all the Co-efficients as well of both the Terms, in which we find k'"' m'^°'y and i^'''^^ m' '\ as of all the Terms that are between thefe two, being added up together, make up the number of all the Chances which will caufe A to win. We will call it p. IV. That all the other poffible Chances, except thofe which caufe A to win, are to the Advantage of B, and thefe we will call q. V. Wherefore if D be pat in, that the value of the Chance of A, is —7 — D, when A has wager'd or laid that it Oiall happen once, in the Mo- ' ney thrown up, or with the Children in one Year. VI. And therefore the Chance of the Wager laid by A, that it fiiall fo happen, againft that of B, who has laid the contrary, (fuppofing it all mere Hazard) is as/>^' to p^q^' — />'% or, to make ufe of the Unit, according as it is expreft in the former Queftion -, as i to - — ^ i, that is, as the Unit, to a Number which is found by dividing the Quantity of all the pofllble Chances p'-i:: qby p; or by the Quantity of all thofe that caufe A to win, and fubftrafting the Unit from this Quotient multiply *d 82 times by itfelf. Sect. XX. 7his Tedious Calculation contraSied. All this, as we have faid above, is well known to fuch as are vers'd in the Computations of the Chances of Games, but it is however very certain, E e that i8o The Religious 'Philofopher. that as fhort and eafy as the Solution of this Queflion appears to be in Words and Algebraical Letters, yet the nimbieft Arithmetician, confidcring the Great- nefs of the Numbers that are to be found, would want fome Months to dif- patch it, if he would exprefs it properly by Numbers, and would alfo be fa- tisfied, that there were no Miftakes in his Calculacion. Wherefore the afore- mention'd Mr. 'iGravefande, according to his vaft Experience and Skill in Mathematics, has remarkably abridged this Matter, and cut off the much larger Part of the tedious Work, which the common Method naturally re- quires, {hewing demonftratively, and with incomparably lefs Pains, that the Ratio of the Chance of A to that of B, found in the foregoing SeBion, as i to . 82 P '*'" I (not only with the requifite Exadnefs, but even the caufing fe- P veral very fmall Fradions, which would otherwife have been neglefted, to tend to the Advantage of A, and thereby not to be liable to any Contradi- ^ion) I fay, that the faid Ratio may be expreft by the Ratio of the Unit to a Number, which refults or is found by the multiplying HrHi-fo eighty two times by each other, and fubftrading the Unit. So that with very little trou- ble and by the help of the Logarithms, we may fee that there is a Chance of 44 Figures (of which the firft five are 7559H) againft i, that what happened in London in the faid 82 Years, would not have happened, if it had been di- reded by Hazard only. Mr. 'iGravefande, who has computed the fame by Logarithmical Tables, finds it to be, 75, 598, 215, 229, 552, 469, 135, 802, 469, 135, 802, 4^9, 469, 135, 802, 469, againft i. Sect. XXI. ConviEiions from the foregoing Calculations. Now let every Man, that can reprefent to himfelt the Greatnefs of this Number, judge whether it" is a wife Diredion, or Fortune and Hazard only, that takes place in this Matter; the rather, if he confiders how much greater this Number or Sum would be, if the fame thing happen not only at London^ bat throughout the whole World, which for the Reafons already alledg'd, is very probable. This is certain, that fince this Sum is greater than all the Grains of Sand, which fome Millions of Globes, like that of the Earth, can contain, he that thinks it credible that what happen'd at London fell out by pure Chance, muft likewife maintain, that he thinks it as probable, that a Perfon deprived of his Sight and Feeling, and who has no manner of Rule for the Diredion of his Hand, and therefore muft abandon himfelf entirely to Chance, fhould fingle out one particular Grain of Sand out of fuch an unconceivable Heap jumbled all together, the very firft tinie he fliould put his Hand into it. Sect. XXII. ExpreJJion of the Numhr found in common Words. Before I quit this Subjed, fince there be among thefe Philofophers who afcribe all things to mere Chance, fome alfo that are not ufed to extend their Speculations to Arithmetic, or Numbers, and to whom the common E.vpref- fions of Billism, Trillions^ and the like, are unintelligible, and conftquently m^ke The Religious ^hihfopher. iST matvt no Imprefilon t5n them ; it may not perhaps be nnprofitalsle, in crdct to give them a more convincing Conception of the Number difcoverM by Mr. \GravefarJe, §. XIX. to exprefs the Greatnefs thereof in fuch Words as every Body underdands. For which Parpofe we know, that when this Number of 54 Fi-gures \s di- vided by the Unit with 39 Noughts, or Cyphers, following (§ XIX.) thct e will remain a Dividend of 75598, and a FraClion befides. From whence it follows, that [i we multiply a Number of an Hundred Thoiifand times a Hun- dred Thoufiind Mill tens fit ft with a Hundred Thoufand times a Hundred Mill i cm ^ we muft take Ten Millions of this prodigious Number above Seventy five Thow /and, five Htrndred, and Twenty eight times, before we can come at the Num- ber or Odds againft One, that what happened at London in the aforefaid ili^hty two Tears would not have fo happen'd, if the Birth of Males and Fe- males were the Refult of mere Chance only. CONTEMPLATION XVIL of the Air. Sect. I. Tranjition to the Contemplation of the IVorld. E have hitherto been employed in Contemplating what we our felvcs V V are, and with how much Wifdom and Power, and (what lays us un- der higher Obligations) with how much Goodnefs our moft Gracious Crea- tor has thus wonderfully formed us, and daily and hourly preferv'd us. IF now we proceed, and obferve all that is round about us, we (hall again di(- cover a whole World full of innumerable Bodies, innumerable Motions in- numerable Phxnomenas, or Appearances, innumerable Operations and Effeds of an inexpreiTible Number of Things ; fo that the moft laborious and dili- gent Enquirers, after their indefatigable Diligence, have made fo little Pro- grefs, as to be forced to acknowledge, that all that they know of the \]\U' verfe, even at this time, is but a fmall Part of what is ftfll to be known. However, as little as this may feem to be, it is yet fo confiderable, that ic muft caufe every Man that is not vainly puffed up with the Conceit of his own Wifdom, to fink down into the deepeft Humility and Submiffion when forced to confefs a Glorious Creator, from the Contemplation of the moft amazing Greatnefs of his Works; fo that it is not polTible (unlefs the Ven- geance of God unjuftly blafphem'd refts upon him) that there (hould be one fingle Soul fo miferably blind and unhappy, as to think it credible, after 2 regular Inquiry, that fo many and fo wonderful things, that for fo many Ages together, could continue without Change and Confufion in their firft ap- E e 2 pointed 1 82 The Religious Philofopher. pointed Order and State, can be the effed of mere Chance and ignorant Cau- fes. Befides that, as unconceivably great and terrible as they may appear with refped to Men, they are neverchelefs compelled by an invifible Power and Diredion, not only to concur in preferving us alive, but alfo to con- tribute, after fuch diflferent ways, to our Convenience, Refrefliment, and Pleafure. And that we may not be fuppos'd to advance this, from an Admiration merely groundkfs, (for Admiration may be owing to Ignorance, as well as Knowledge) of the many Properties of Things, whofe particular Difcuffion would not only exceed the Defign of this Book, but even our Strength and XJnderftanding, let us take a few into Confideration, in which the Great Creator and Ruler of the World has vouchfafed to reveal his Ways in fome meafure to Mankind : And further, ferioufly refle6t with our felves, whether they may not chearfully and undeniably ferve to convince a Mind defirous to know its Maker, that we have much more reafon to acknowledge, in the Strudureof the Univerfe, a Wife,' Powerful, and Gracious Being, than the Skill of an Artificer from the moft curious Machine that ever was produced by the Ingenuity and Workmanfhip of any Man whatever. Sect. II. Firjl of the Air, To avoid Confufion, and obferve fome Order in the Contemplation of fo many things, we (hall begin with thofe that are abfolutely ufetul and neceflfary to the Prefervation and Well-being of Man ; therefore we fliall treat of Air, which is the Principal of them all; and firfl, of fome Properties thereof, and then of what Advantage and Service it is to Men, Beafts, Plants, and other Things ,• all which we (hall briefly fliew in fome few Cafes. Sect. III. The Gravity and Elafiicity of the Air. The Diligence, or rather the good Fortune, of the Philofophers of the laft Age, has brought to light, two remarkable Difcoveries, and which were entirely a Secret to all the Ancients, touching the Conftitution of the the Air; namely its Gravity or Weight, and its Springy called in Latin by the Modern Naturalifts, Vis Elaftica. Sect. IV. An Experiment concerning the Gravity of the Air. For fome thoufand Years the Air wasefteem'd to be a Body fo light, that it would never defcend like other Bodies, till the Invention of Barometers gave the firft hint to Mankind, that the Air might likewife be a heavy Body. And how greatly the Experiment of thefe Weather- Glaffes has contribu- ted to the chief Proofs of the Gravity of the Air, may be feen by the Su- fpenfion of the Qiiickfilver in thofe Tubes in many Cafes, wl.ich h to be ai- crib'd, firft to its Elaflic Faculty, and afterwards to its Gravity, which can- its the faid Faculty to exert itfeif j as will appear by what follows. Where- The Religious Philofopher. 182 Wherefore, in order to prove diredly the Gravity and Weight of the Air, this Method Teems to afford the flrongeft Proof or at leaft the clearelt and fimpleft : Take a Glafsfull of Air, and weigh it in a nice and exad Pair of Scales I then drawing out the Air as far as poffible with an Air- Pump, and weigh it again, you will find that it was fenfibly heavier before the Air' was exhaufted than it is afterwards. The hollow Glafs Balls which are com- monly fold with the great kind of Air- Pumps, are very proper for fuch aa Experiment, and bigger Glafles are yet more fo. I find in my Notes, that fuch a Ball, or Bubble, had loll with its Air, fixty two Grains of its Weight, which is more than fufficient to convince us of the Gravity of the Air. According as we make ufe of bigger or fmaller Bub- bles, this Difference will appear greater or lefs. Sect. V, and VI. The Airs Elaftick Faculty, proved Experhnemal/y. The fecond Property, for the Knowledge of which we are beholden to the Difcoveries of later Years, is x\\t Elaftick Power or Springinefs oi thz Air ; whereby its Parts, like Steel Springs that are bene with Force, do continu- ally endeavour to expand therafelves ; and fo by their Separation from each other to take up a large Space, driving away and preffing on every Side, aU that makes any Relifiance to them. To prove this, many Experiments have been made by the famous Boyle, and others. The common Method of {hewing it, is by a little Bladder E, (Tab. XIII. Fig. I.) which is about as big as a large Goofe Egg, when full blown. Squeeze the Bladder fo as to leave but a very fmall quantity of Air in it : Then having tied the Neck clofe, hang it up by its String to the lit- tle Hook D, of the Glafs Receiver ABC, which being laid on the Plate of the Air-Pump B A, if you exhauft the Air from the Receiver at F, which pafs'd on the outfide of the Bladder, the Spring of the Air in the Bladder will exert itfelf fo, that the Bladder will fwell as if it was ftrongly blown up with a Pipe. And for a further Proof of this Elaftick Power of the Air, feveral other Experiments, hereafter quoted in the proper Places, may be ferviceable. Sect. VIT. The Prejfure of the Air. Now that Operation or Effed which the Air has upon other Bodies, by this its Weight joined to the Expanding or Elaftick Force of its Parts, is what the Moderns call the Preflure of the Air : The furprifing Strength of which is incredible to many, and the Properties in its Ufes no other than wonderful. Sect. VIII. TJje Miflakes oj fome Atheifis, Now before we proceed any farther, let us anfwer thefe Men, who to defend their unhappy Notions, viz.. That there is not much IVifdom requifite in the DireEiion of many Things about them, alledge, That moft ofthofe Things are either entirely at reft, or at leaft mov*d but very llowly,and think this a ftrong ArgiL 1 84. The Religions Thikfopher. Argument fat xktlx Aflertiofis, becaufe when things are fuppos'd to bt tvith- OLit Motion, there does not feetti much Wifdofa nor Power ntcedafy to c Expanfive and ElalHcal Air muft immediately die when the Spring thereof is cither weaken^ or totally deftroyed, and therefore that thefe miferable Cavillers do torment themfelves in vain, to deduce this Appearance from the unknov/n Laws of Matter and Motion, or from a Neceffity determining every.- 205 The Religious Vhihfopher. every thing, may appear from hence ; that the contrary is true in the c'fe of a Frog, as many other have obfervcd, of which I hnd among my Notes the following Experiment ; That a Frog being put under a little Receiver of an Air-Pump, and the Air being exhauifed from thence, not only the Belly thereof, in which one might expert there was Air, but likewife all the other Parts, as. Head, Legs, Mufcles, &c. were fwelled to a great Thicknefs ; which, upon the admiffion oi the external Air, did all fubfide again, and the Creature return'd to its firfl Size : But that which is mod for our pur- pofe is, that the Frog remained a quarter of an Hour in the Receiver entirely cxhaufted of Air, without appearing to be the leaft affeded with it, and when it was lee out, immediately fprung away, as if nothing had ailed it. Sect. XXIX. To Die therefore in an Air divefiedoj itsElaftacity, is the Refuh only of the mU of GOD. C A N it therefore be denied, that (ince all Creatures are not equally af- feded with the Elafticity and Gravity of the Air, xvhat had been faid be- fore muft not be admitted to be a general Law of Nature, which taking place between the Air and all Creatures, produces fuch Effeds without Un- derft anding ? And muft not that Man b^- allowed to argue much more ratio- nally, that does acknowledge herein the Hand and Work of a wife Artificer, who, that we may not afcribe chat which happens to moft of the living Creatures, with refpeit to the Air, tonecelfary and unavoidable Confequen- ces of ignorant corporeal Morions, has been pleafed by fuch an Exception as this, and perhaps by many others, to (hew that all muft be refolved into his good Liking and VVifdom ,• and that He has thought fic that the Air, amongft its other Properties, fhould ahvays prefervea certain degree of Force in its Expanfion ; without which the whoie Globe of the Earth would be in a manner deprived of all Living Creatures ? And likewife, that when he thought fit to order it otherwife, he could preierve fome of 'em alive without Air. Sect. XXX. The El aflick Faculty of the Air ii not alone fufficient for the Prefer vat ion of Life. For the Proof of this laft Propofition, it may likewife be particularly ferviceable to fliew, that this Elailick Faculty of the Air is indeed neceflary to Life, but that it is not fufficient alone. Thus we find in Times of Pefti- lence, chat the Air is fufficient, y Elaftick, but neveuhelefs Contagious and Fatal. And the great Naturalift, de Stair^ relates, that not only many other Creatures, but likewife a Frogy that can live in Air, in Water, and with- out Air, yet died in a little fpace of time with an Air or Steam that pro- ceeded from Doii^h. And Experience does abundantly teach us, that a Li- ving Creature fliut up in the fame Air, without any Circulation or Change therein, cannot long fi.bfift fo, altho' the Elaftacicy or Sprinc^ of the Air were not fo much weakened, as that we (liould afcribe the Caufe thereto ; foraf- much as it appears by the Barometers, that the Air by which we are fur- rounded, can undergo great Alterations in its Elaflick Faculty, without any 3 Prcju- The Religious Philofopher. 201 Prejudice ro breathing Creatures. But if this Property of the Air, which, befities its Gravity and Elafticity, is neceflary for the fupport of Creatures' we have already faid fomething in our Difcourfe upon Refpiration. Sect. XXXI. The Elaflkk Power of the Air does liLewife cntife Fijh to live andjubjjfl under Water. But before we take our leave of Living Creatures, can any one obferve without Aftonifhment, that even the Fifh in the Water do receive their Life and Well-being from the PrelTure and Eiafticity of the Air ? Which being re- moved or taken away, fcarceanyof 'em can contain themfeives under the Water, but, in fpight of all the Refinance, mufl emerge and rife up to the top of it. They that would fee the Experiment of it, may put fome Water and a Gudgeon, or any other little Fifh, into the Recipient of the Air-Pump ; and removing the Prefllire of the Air, will find thac a Fifh immediately rifes up to the Top, but upon letting in the Air, it will fink down again. The Reafon thereof, and how the Bladders within their Body being dilated by the diminution of the Air's Preflure, and becoming larger, do render the Fifh fo much lighter than Water, as to make them afcend, fhall be more fully treated of hereafter, when we come to confider the Nature of Beafrs, &c. Now fince moft Fifhes are of fo wonderful a Strufture, that they can and mufl: make ufe of the Preflure of the Air, in order to remain under the Water, and in fuch Places as are mol^ convenient for them, without being forced to Afcend or Defcend againft their Wills ; and that all of them, without fuch a Preflure of the Air, being forced to the Top of the Water, would foon be deftroyed ; let us draw this Conclufion only here. That he muft be a very flrange Perfon that fhall maintain, that the Air and its Pref- fure, fo very neceffary in this cafe, is produced upon the Earth by meer Accident, and without any view towards fo ufeful an Operation ; and that the Fifhes are likewife formed cafually, juft after fuch a manner, as to be pro- vided with Inflrumentsby which they can increafe or lefTen the quantity of Air, for the aforementioned Purpofes. Sect. XXXI I. Plants do alfo live by Air. The Air is not only of fuch great Ufe to Men, Beafls, and Fifhes, but even to Plants themfeives, which vegetate thereby in fuch a manner, that a great pare of the Sap with which they are nourifli'd, is compofcd of k. Wherefore, in c^^fe Men could have lived even without Air, yec rhcy could not have enjoyed fuflicient Food from the Earth without it, becaiife it con- tributes fo much ro the Fertihty thereof, which is well known to the Huf- bandmen, who for that reafon break up and plou h their Lands fo frequent! v, in order to expofe them to the influence of the Air. However, if whit we have here faid, be nor clear nor intelligible enough to any one, namely, that Air infinujtcs itfelf into Plants, and that they can- not grow without ir, they may confult thofe accurate Enquirers in'-*) the Nature of Plants, Ma^p/ghi and G,tvj, concerning the Air- Vcflcls which they have 202 The Religious PhiJofopher. have difcover'd therein by the help of Microfcopes ; and B>)Ie and de Stairs concerning their Obfervations with the Air Pump : Thefe Gentlemen ha- ving {hewn, that Air can be drawn oat of Plants placed in Vacuo. But he thac would have ocular Demonftration thereof, let him take a little piece of a Twig from a growing Tree, or green Leaves cut afunder, and other parts ^,of Plants, and tie them to a Nail, or any other heavy Matter, and pat them 'into a Glafs in which there is Lye made of Salt of Tartar^ or Pot-aJJjes, in or- to make them fink down into it; then putting them all together under the Receiver of an Air-Pump, and exhaufting the Air out of the Receiver, he will prefently fee the Air coming out of the Ends that were cut off from the Plants, in numberlefs Bubbles, and rifing up to the top of the Lye; at leaft it happened fo in all the Experiments which I have had occafion to make in this Matter ; and from fome of them particularly, as from the Twig of an Elm- tree, I obferv'd a much greater Stream of Air than can eafiiy be believed by thofe thac had never feen the fame. The reafon why we rather prefcribe the ufeof Lye than of Water in thefe Experiments, is, becaufe no Air will mix itfelf with the former, tho' it be never fo long expofed in an open VefTel. You may ufe Water alfo, after you have boiled it fo long, till all the Air be evaporated, and let it ftand till it be cold again. Can any one fancy that this is likewife accidental, and without Defign, or believe that he owes no Thanks for this noble Benefit of the Air to the bountiful Giver of it? who has been gracioufly pleafed to provide thereby not only for the Life of Man, but alfo for his Suftenance and Food, which fprings out of the Earth. Sect. XXXIIL Fire is maintained by Air. Add to what has been faid, that Air has this Property likewife befides all the reft, that Fire (which without all Contradiftion, is one of the moft ufeful things that is known to Man) cannot burn without Air; at leaft, that kind of Fire that we commonly make ufe of: So that for want of Air, al- moft all Fire will be extlnguiflied in Vacuo, or in any Veftelsinto which one puts live Coals, and clofes them therein. Now how many Inconveniencies would befal the whole World, if we, had not the ufe of this glorious Crea- ture, but fliould be bereaved of its Warmth in cold Weather, of its Light in Darknefs, and of many other Advantages it brings along with it 1 But we Ihall fay no more of it here, becaufe we defign to treat of it more exprefly in our Difcourfe upon that Element. Sect. XXXIV. Air caufes Sfncaky and the Particles thereof to afcend This is certainly true, that if the PrefTure of the Air did not caufe the Sm.oak of all things that are burnt with Fire, of all putrified and rotten Mat- ters, and other difagreeable Vapours psrfpiring from folid or fluid Bodies, to mount up like Oyl in Water, the fame would render the furrounding Air foul and unhealthy to us; And how would Mankind be refreflied with that vaft number of fweet-fcented Flowers and Plants, with lovely Perfumes and Spices, if The Religious Thihfopher. 203 if the Creator had not endowed the Air with a Property of conveying to the Inftruments of Smelling, all thofe Exhalations which we endeavour to difco- ver and enjoy by the help of that Senfe ? Sect. XXXV. Aiv is the Caufe of Sounds. But that which fhews in the plaineft manner the Obligations of the Thank- fulnefs we lye under to the Great Creator, is that thofe wonderful Inftru- ments of Hearing, not withftanding the moft wife and artful Contrivance thereof would have been implanted in Mankind and all other Living Creatures in vain, and without any manner of Advantage, unlefs the Air by its Motion had been endowed with a Power of producing Sounds ; For how miferable all Men would have been without Sounds, and confequently without Hearing, has. been already proved in our Contemplation upon the Se}7fes. Sect. XXXVI, and XXXVII. Several Experiments to prove the ProduBicn oj Sounds by the Air. It is not now our Purpofe to enquire here what kind of Motion, or what Parts of the Air produce Sound : This feems to be certain, that it is a Mo- tion of the Air's Elaftick Particles; for upon exhaufting thefe Elaftick Parts of Air fuddenly from the Glafs Globe A {Tab. XIII. Fig. 4.) and upon their protruding one another towards the Space of the empty Pump, we could ob- ferve a Sound or Noife, which, when the Receiver was full of Air, and the Spring of the Air more ftrongly dilated, that is to fay, at the beginning of it, is loudeft, but upon evacuating the Receiver, and confequently upon weak- ening the faid Spring, or perhaps alfo, upon lelfening the number of the mov'd Parts, the Sound is gradually diminiflied. Thus we find by hanging a little Bell within the Receiver, and pumping the A.ir out, the Sound of the Bell becomes much weaker. A Striking- Watch fliut up in the Receiver of an Air- Pump, and faften'd to a String, is not heard fo plain as when it is out of the Bell ; but upon exhaufting the Air, the Sound was fo much and fo fenfibly diminiftied, that it could fcarce be heard at all. But as far as I could ever yet learn, no body has been able to exhauft the Air fo far, as that the Sound of a Clock or Bell fhould not be heard at all; unlefs it were only Mr. Huygens, who in his Traitte de la Lumiere, p. 10. in- forms us, that he placed a Clock upon Feathers or Cotton, to the end that its tremulous Motion might not be communicated to the Glafs in which it ftood. And it is likewife obferved, that a Place in which the Elaftick Power of the Air is much weakened, or made z. Vacuum in the middle of the common Air, and an Opportunity afforded to the faid Air, to be pufli'd in from all Parts thitherwards by its Elaftick Force, fo that its Parts ftrike againft one another, a great Noife is caufed thereby ; for if you put the two Brafs Hemi- fpheres which are commonly made ufe of by thofe that ufe Air-Pumps, upon one another, and ftopping them very clofe, pump the Air out of 'em, and fo make the hollow Space therein to contain but very little Air, and that much weakened too; and if then thofe Hemifpheres, or Half Globes, be fuddenly H h drawn 204 2^^^ Religious Thilofopher. drawn afundcr by a great Weight, and thereby an Opportunity given to the Parts of the external Air to ftrike again Pc each other, we fliall find a Noife produced thereby, like the Difcharge of a Gun. The fame has been likewife remarked above, in the breaking of the Glafs (Tal>. XIII. Fig. 3.) by the fwift forcing in of the Air into the Brafs Veflel A BC D, out of which at K, there was fome Part of its Air exhaufted, and confequently the Elafticity of the remaining Part was weakened in Proportion. As it alfo happen'd, when inftead of fuch a Brafs Veflel, an odangular Half- Pint Bottle was placed upon the Mouth O, of the Brafs Plate HI, and a little Air exhaufted from the fame, whereupon the Glafs Bottle burften into fmall Pieces with a loud Report by the Preflure of the external Air : To prevent any Danger from thence, the beft way will be to cover the Bottle with a Bladder faflen'd about the Neck thereof. Sect. XXXVIII. ConviBiom from the foregoing Obfeyvatiom. We fhall not here enquire farther what probable Conclufions may be dedu- ced from thefe and other Experiments, concerning Bodies yielding Sounds by the particular Motion of the Parts of the Air; but this may be fafely affirmed, that without Air, little or no Sound would refult from the Motions of Bo- dies. Now can they that know the necefTity thereof, maintain fuch a fort of Philofophy, as teaches that the Faculty -with which the Air is endowed, of conveying Sounds and Smells to our Ears and Noftrils, is only owing to Chance, without any View of being ferviceable to Mankind ? Sect. XXXIX. Xhc Ufe of Air in Pumps. Besides all thefe wonderful Ufes and Services daily rendered by the Air ro fuch as inhabit this Earth, a great many more might be mentioned : And ought not then every Body that has any Senfc of Generoiity, acknowledge how much he is bound to give thanks, when he, without contributing any thing thereto on his own Part, finds himfelf furrounded with fo vafl a Force and Preflure of the Air, which he can make ufe of according to his own Plea- fure, in fo many Occafions for his Conveniency, and to avoid being trouble- (ome to himfelf or others? Every one who knows that Pumps, Syringes and Fountains, and fuch like Hydraulick Inftruments, are only rendered ufeful by the PreiTure, that is by the Gravitating and Expanfive Power of the Air, which, by the Art of Man, has been applied thereto, will be fully convinced of the Truth of this Propofition. And thofe who are ignorant of it, may confider the Spout or Syringe, ABC Tab. III. Fig. 3. (of which mention has been made above in Contem- plation Yll. §. XI.) as a Barrel of a Pump {landing in the Water DCE; in which Pump, as has been there fhewn, no Water will ever afcend, tho' you fliould draw the Pifton F upwards, unlefs the Air G do gravitate upon the Water D E. Now, that a Pump on this occalion may be look'd upon as a kind of Syringe, is known to every Body. Sect^ The Religious Thilqfopher. 205 Sect. "XL. The Air h'mdei^ {wmenting Liquors from fijitig out of the Veffels that contain them. That there are To many fermenting Liquors, fuch as Beer, Wines, &c. working in themfelves, ufed by feveral Nations tor their Pieafure, Retrefn- menr, and other Ends, we ought thankfully to contefs to be owing to the Goodnefs of our Creator ,• who, by placing the Air upon this Globe, and en- dowing it with a Gravitating and Elaftick Faculty, caufes thofe Liquors to Hay and remain within their Veflels, which, without fuch a Preflure of the Air, they would burft to pieces, or run all out of the Mouth thereof. They that have a mind to make a Trial of it, let them take a Glafs of our common Beer, that has done working, and is fome Days old j let them place it in the Receiver of an Air-Pump, and exhaufting the Air, they will prefently fee in nfe and froth, and run over the Brims of the Glafs like Bottled Beer: but by letting in a little Air again, it will prefently fubfide, and ceafe frothing and working. To take no notice, that unlefs the Preflure of the Air did put a (lop to fuch Working, the Drink would immediately lofe both its Strength and Agreeable- nefs, as every body knows that has tailed Beer after fuch working in the Air- Pump, whereby it is rendered as flat and infipid, as ii it had flood a great while expofed to the open Air. The good Wives ought likewife to be informed, that without this Preflure of the Air, no boiling Water wou'd flay in their Pots and Kettles. They that doubt thereof, let them fet a little Tea-cup full of hot Water under the Re- ceiver of an Air-Pump, then draw ofif the gravitating Air, and they will find that the Water will run over and dilate itfelf almofl like Gun-powder that \s fet on Fire. Sect. XLI. RefraSlion andTwi light y or Break of Day, No w as mofl: of the Etfeds we have already mentioned concerning the Air, are produced by the Gravity and Elaflicity thereof; altho' towards the Refpiration of living Creatures, towards fertilizing the Earth, and perhaps too towards the Nouriftimenc of Plants, and other Matters which are brought to pafs by the Air, there feem likewife to be fome,other Faculties and Parts requifite in the fame ; I fay, befides all this, it does yet render one eminent piece of Service to the whole World, and that upon account of being compofed of a fluid Matter, denfer than that which is above it, viz,, that by the Refra- Bion or breaking the Rays of the Sun in the faid Air, the Twilight of Morn- ing and Evening are produced; whereby a clear and full Day is prevented from being turned oftentimes in a very little time into a Night as dark as Pitch in the Evening, and fo again a dark Night from being turned all at once into a bright Day, to the vifible Prejudice and Weakening the Eyes of Men, and all other Creatures ; it being fufEciently known to all that have tried it, how troublefome and inconvenient are fuch great and fudden Changes, from thick Darknefs to a flrong and clear Light. H h 2 . 'Tis 2o6 The Religious Thilofopher. 'Tis owing to this Property of the Air, that the Countries which lie near the Poles, during their long and difmal Nights, do participate of the conafortable Light of the Sun many Days before it rifes above the Hori- zon : From hence it proceeds likewife, that thofe Nations which lie far from the Poles, and in which the Sun daily rifes and fets, dodifcover fooner, and are deprived later of the welcome Light of Day, which they therefore enjoy much longer than if there had been no fuch thing as Air about this Globe of the Earth. To give the Reader feme Notion thereof; fuppofe N Z S, to be the Globe of the Earth in Tab. XIV. Ftg. 3. E W H T, the Air furrounded it, and E Y, the vilible Horizon of 'thofe People that dwell at F : Now the Sun would be invifible as fcon as it was got below this Horizon, if there were not between the Air and the Sun at A, fuch a denfe Subftance as the Air it felf, which the Ray of the Sun A H falls upon ; and Mathematicians know, that it mufl be confidered as if it fell upon the Line B C, which touches the Air at H ; this Ray therefore falls obliquely upon the Air, as making with the Line B C the Angle A H C. Now it has been {hewn above, when we treated about the Sight, in Con- templation Xlll. That a Ray (Tah.X. Fig. 2.) coming upon a denfer Mat- ter, which is likewife tranfparent, does not run flreight forwards to D, but is infleded towards the Perpendicular G Q_; that is, being bent or refrafted at H, is diverted into another Courfe H F ; fo that in 7alf XIV. Fig. 3. this Ray of the Sun A H, by fuch an Inflexion, may reach the Eye of one that ilands at F, whereas it would otherwife have pafled a great way above him atD. It is likewife plain by Optical Experiments, that a Ray, according to the Right Line H F, falling upon the Eye, the Perfon that fees, does always fancy to himfelf that the Objed is in the Ray F H ; for which reafon the Sun A, being really under the Horizon E F Y, they that live at F, think that they fee the fame in the Line F H, produced, that is at R, and above the Horizon. Now that this is fo, has been briefly (hewn above in Contemplation XIL Tah.'K.Fig- 4. and from thence itmayinfome manner be comparatively known, how the Rays of the Sun^ being refraded in the Morning and Evening Twi- lights, do enlighten the Earth, and csufe us to fee the Sun before it be really rifen, and after it is fet. Sect. XLIL ConviSiions from the foregoing Obfervations. Now can the unhappy Atheift fancy again, that this Property of the Air, with refped to Light, is likewife produced accidentally ? Whereas he is neverthelefs forced to acknowledge, that it is fo great a Benefit to him- felf, and the reft of the Inhabitants of the World, that in cafe he had the ordering of it himfelf, he would think that the Advantage which he had acquired from this one Property of the Air, was alone worth the while to encompafs the Earth with fuch a Body. SecTo |) I'ltl ^ 1*1 llll 1. TA.i . JM W 'A I i! '' '111 ^"'1 1,1 "ll ii'iiii lllllll lllllll!:! iiii lliiliii; liiipiir ris 3 ' il! Iliiii o >r Fio:.6 iiill i ill 1 I !' i' I i 1 ! i ii ill' i lis f I! |i| i i 1 iiiiiL Ii" s Sii Fio-. 4 I'i!'! "'■'\l;' '111!,, ii iii iiissiii iiiSiliiiiiiii lii TAT} . xnr K;;- 3 i %.iij.ri:, Jimi. -" j-.r.^ri,ii:M.ri,-^ i A'h... ii iiiii i^ ^ The Religious Fhilofopher. 207 Sect. XLIII. The Gravity and Elafticity of the Air unbwmn to the Ancients. Before I quit this Subjeft, I cannot forbear faying fomething very re- markable tor the Comfort and Confirmation of fuch as have not lo far for- gotten God, as to deny the Perfections and Attributes of that adorable Be- ing, by whom all things have been produced : Let fuch therefore confider, that the Gravity and Elafticity too of the Air, are nev/ Difcoveries, being accordingly fo term'd by the Gentlemen of the Royal French Academy^ in their Hiftovy for the Tear i 702, 0/ the firfl Difcoveries made by Modern Phikfcpby about the Nature of Light, that they were unknown for fo many thoufand Years to the moft diligent Enquirers into Nature, and continued a perfed Secret, even to the moft learned Philofophers, till the laft Age. For they, and all the Ancients, look'd upon the Air to be a light Body, which would afcend of irfelf, at leaft, that it was without Gravity or Weight, to fpeak of that Property in the firft Place, till in the laft Age, the Invention of Barometers, together with the fubfequent Experiments made by the Air-Pump, Fire, and otherwife, did furnifh us with undeniable Proofs, that the Air is a heavy Body, and that we are able to compute the Weight thereof. Add to this, that the Barometer, (the firft Inftrument that has given Men a Notion of this Gravity of the Air) was not difcoverM either by the Study or penetrating Judgment of the Inventer, TorriceUius, who had not this in his View, by any means; but (to ufe the Words of yir.de Stair, Phyjtolog. ExpLXlX. SeB.^i.) was revealed by the Divine Providence in the Year 1^43, and as to him, en- tirely beyond his Expedation. CONTEiMPLATION XVIII. Of Meteors. Sect. I. Tran/ition to the Meteors. EF O R E we take leave of the Air, it feems requifite to fay fomething concerning Meteors, fuch as the Clouds, Mifts or Fogs, M^ind, Rain, Thun- der, Lightning, &c. forafmuchas an infinite Number of Wonders have at all times appeared therein ; and the Almighty has thereby, in a particular man- ner, manifefted his Tremendous Power and Greatnefs many times to thofe who, as far as in them lay, endeavoured to deny it ,• and forc'd them to own It with Fear and Trembling : Yet, forafmuch as the fame are moftly placed out of the reach of fuch Experiments as might ferve either to make a juft Enquiry into all the Caufes thereof, or even to try the Certainty of feme' proba- 2o8 The Religious Phihfopher. probable Opinions concerning them ; Humane Knowledge does not extend itfelf far enough in thefe Matters to be able to fay, with fufficient Certainty, how they are produced, and how they operate. Shct. II. The Air is a Men/irwm, or DiJfolvlNg Fluid. This feems however to be true, that the ambient Air has the fame Power and Effefts upon many Bodies, as that which the Chymifts call a Menftruum, or difiolving Liquor ; upon which it operates after the fame manner as Brandy^ forlnftance, upon Spices put into it, out of which it extrads fome of the Parts, and incorporates them with itfelf. Sect. III. The Air is impregnated with great variety of Particles. Thus we fee, that all the EffluviayOr Exhalations of fuch an infinite num- ber of Bodies ; that all the Scents, whether of fweet or ftinking Bodies, the Smoak and Steam of things that are burnt or putrified, the Vapours and Fogsariung from fo many Seas, Rivers, Lakes, Ponds, and other Waters, the Particles of Fire from fo many Flames of Nitrous and Sulphureous, of Acid and of Alcaline Bodies, or of both of them fermented together; in a word, whatever they call Volatile, and which being exhaled, can afcend, are all mixed with the Air, and colleded in the fame, as in a common Maga- zine or Ware-Houfe. Add to all thefe the Rays and Light of the Sun, that move with fo unconceivable a Swiftnefs, as we fliall fhow hereafter, and which are reverberated, or do rebound back into the Air in infinite Streams and Numbers : To fay nothing of the Planets and fix'd Stars, which how little Effea foevcr they may be fuppofed to produce, by^reafon of their vaft Diftance, yet, fince thefe Heavenly Bodies are feen thro' the Air, and die Rays are tranfmitted from them with a prodigious Velocity quite thro' it down to us, we have reafon enough not to pafs them by in filence. To reckon every thing, would be impoffible ; and they who are never fo little converfant in the Experiments of Natural Philofophy, will readily agree, that there is fuch mixture of an infinite number of different Particles. Seq T. IV. The fame proved in fiilphureous Particles. That we may u.i'^Q an imperfed Sketch thereof to fuch as are Igno^rant and Unexperienced • and paffing by thoic Effluvia, or Vapours, that rife from Water, as being too common ; that Sulphureous Particles are mixed with the Air, rnay appear from the Scent or Smell of Briraftone that attends Light- ning fometimes ; befides that, feveral Accounts teach us, that they afcend from the Volcano* s,o^ Burning Mountains, in vaft Numbers, into which they are diflblved by the means of Subterraneous Fires, after the fame manner as it is done in Chymical Operations : And this is alfo plain from hence that even here in our watry Country, there are Pits or Wells over which if you hold a Candle, the Air will immediately be kindled; infomuch, that whole Houfes have been confumed by the firing of fuch Steams ; and not long I nncc The Religious ^hilqfopher. 209 fince, a Perfon was mifsrably burnt in that Country, which we call the Eeemfier, in North- Holland J which is nothing but a drained Meer or Lake. Sect. V. The like Mixture with Particles of Fire. That Fire raing'.es itfelf with Air, appears by many Experiments, fuch as Lightnings, as alio that Matter which the Chymifts call Phofphorusy which having lain many Years under Water, and being taken out from thence, im- mediately fhines in the Dark, and wich the lead Warmth (even fo fmall that it can hardly be called hot) it will burn fo, as not to be extinguifliM. Such a Phqfphoru! is diftilled from Humane Urine, after it has flood fo long in the Air till it is corrupted ; And fome who have tried it, fay, that in cafe fuch Urine can be kept where no Air can come at it, notwithftanding it be fo chymically prepared, it will neither fhine nor burn. Sect. VL Alcah^s and Acids mixed with Air. That Volatile and Alcaline Salts, fuch as thofe that are extrafted from Soot, Harts-horn, &c. are diflblved in the Air, is well known to thofe who have fmelt of the fame, and have often learned to their Cofl, that fuch Saks are in no wife to be preferved longj and Glafs Phials filled with thefe Vola- tile Salts, and not well ftop'd, have frequently been found quite empty, cr at leaft have loft a good Part of them. The fame has been obferved as to Acid Liquors, by the fowre Smell that exhales from them, fuch as Vinegar and other things : Lifomuch, that if you fet any Acids under a Copper or Brafs Plate, the Vapours that exhale from them, and mingle themfelves with Air, will eat through fuch Plates, and turn them into Verdigreafe. More- over, in diftilling Spirit of Salt-petre, which comes over without any Water, we know that all the Stopples that are ufed to the Phials that contain 'em, are corroded by the Particles that afcend into the Air j and that the faid Spi- rits being put into an open Bottle, do frequently emit vifible EfHuvia, Sect. VIL Burning Spirits and Oils mix themfelves ivlth the Air. The Air is likewife impregnated with Burning Spirits. This is known to every Body that has warmed good Brandy, and held a burning Paper or Can- dle near the Steams of it; of which thofe that are in the Air are immediate- ly kindled. The fame Experiment is made by the Chymifts in their Diftilla- tions, when they try whether their Lutums (that is the Matter which they ap- ply to the Joints of their VelTels) are as clofe as they (hould be; for if one , holds a Candle to them, and any of the Effluvia come out, thofe that pafs into the Air through the Lutum, will immediately take Fire. Oils themfelves will mingle with the Air. Wherefore, to Hiy nothing of Train-Oil, which can be fmelt fo far off (forafmuch as fome may doubt whe- ther they be the oleaginous Parts themfelves that afted our Noftrils) let any one take Oil of Olives mingled with Salt, and diftil it with a glowing Iron Pot, upon which there \s an Iron Helm or Head, with an Orifice or Hole at the Top, fo as it may be fhut with an Iron Cover, he will find when the Cover is taken oft', in order to take fome of that Matter with an Iron Ladle out 2 1 o The Religious Thilofopher. out of the Pot, and to put frefh therein, that the Steams (which being drawn over into the Recepient, do there make what they call an Oleu?n Phihjophorum) as foon as they come into the Air, flame out, and fo continue till the Ori- fice of the Helm be again clofed. Sect. VIII. Other Particles do likewife mix themfehes with Air, A N infinite Number of other Particles, befides thofe of which we have given Inftances above, are found to incorporate themfelves with the Air as with a common Menflruum, or Diffoh ent ; accordingly it is obferved by V^are- nius, in his Geography^ {Lib. I. Cap. XIX. §. 41.) that when the Spices in the Indian Iflands are ripe, the Seamen know it by the Smell thereof, at the diftance of three or four Leagues : That in the Iflands named the Az.ores, the Air is impregnated with fo many Acid Particles, that it corodes even the Iron and Stones of Houfes, in fuch a manner, as to reduce them to Du{t in a little time : whereas, on the contrary, in the Province of Chili in America, the Air is fo foft, and that tho* one put up a Sword without cleaning it into the Scabbard, there will never be found any Ruft upon it. They that would be further informed upon this Subjeft, may confult the Author in the place we have quoted. Sect. IX. Many Particles preferve their Properties in the Air. After all this, no body I think will fcruple to acknowledge the Air to be a Menfi:ruum impregnated with an infinite Number of Particles ; only it fi^ems necefl'ary before we proceed, to fliew, Firfij That the EfRuvia of fuch a great Number of folid and fluid Matters, tho' diflblv'd in the Air, may yet preferve the fame Properties which they had before they were mingled therewith. They that defire fufficient Infliances thereof, may fee what that great Naturalift, Mr. Robert Boyle, has writ about them in his Difcourfe on the Nature of Effluviums. This, however, has been experimentally obferved, fiirfl: in fluid Matters, from a great many Diflillations of Waters, of Burning Spirits, of Acid Spirits, of Spirits that have Volatile Salts in them, of Quickfilver, and almofl all fuch like Liquors, which evaporating in the Air bv Warmth, do therein fo very much maintain their own Fgure, that being admitted into a Recipient, and turned again into a Liquid Matter, almoft all of them yield the fame Fluid of which they were compofed before they were mingled with the Air. The fame may likewife be obferved in many folid Bodies, which the Chy- mifts do raife, or (as they phrafe it) fublimate by Fire. Thus, according to the Report of the aforefaid Mr. Boyk^ who ought never to be named but with refpeft, Sulphur, Camphire, Benjoin, Sal-Armoniac, and even a Metal as heavy asT/w, may be fublimed and mix'd wirh the Air by the Heat of Fire,* and the Parts thereof being coagulated, by meeting with Glafs or feme other Matter, may be again changed into a folid Body, with the fame Properties ic had before. • And let no Man imagine that we draw oat this Analogy too far, becaufe they are not fenfible of fuch a Heat, or of fuch Fires in thefe Climates, as might The Religious Philofopher. 2 r i might fcem fulTicient to diflblve thefe Bodies, and to caufe thetn to evapo- rate into the Air, to perform which, To in ten (e a Heat is required in Chy- midry : For whoever has read any thing concerning the Subterraneous Fires that fliew themfelves m burning Mountains^ and with how much Sulphur, Ajhes, and other Matters, they have often fi;Ied the Air, even at the remo- tefl Phices, will Hnd that there is not the lead room to doubt thereof. Sect. X. 7/?e ajoremor.ticned various Particles^ by their operating upon each other, caufe the Air to be IVholfotne or Uniuholfome. From what we have fiiewn already, it will follow. Secondly, that he who knows how varioufly and powerfully thefe Particles, floating in the Air, do operate upon each other, will eafily conceive, that from the different Con- jun6tions and Separations thereof, different Qualities of the Air does like- wife refult. Infomuch that fome of the Parts being wholly innocent in their own Nature, by their Conjundion and Mixture with each other, may be- come hurtful and even fatal ,• and fo on the contrary, thofe that are prejudi- cial, may likewife become healthful, and thus in many Cafes they may un- dergo many Changes. Sect. XI, and XII. Several E>:peri?nents to confirm this. Thus we fee (to give an Inftance of what we have aifertedj that the Spirit of Coinmon Salt and Mercury, neither of which are poifonous alone, be- ing fublimated by Fire, are united in the Air, and then become fuch a deadly Poifon (to which they ufually give the name of Sublimate) that if ic do not exceed Arfenic or Ratsbane itfelf, it may be counted at leaft as fatal. We fhall not her|^ enquire whether what has been obferved by Diemerbroek, de Pefie, Lib. II. Cap. 3. might be fuppofed to have happened after fuch a manner; namely, that the Fumes of Soap with'which Linnen was wafhed, might have brought the Plague into the Houfes of Nimeguen, and have rendered the Air of that Town contagious ; tho* it is well known, that the Ingredients of which that Matter h compofed, have nothing peftilentia! m them. This is hardly to be doubted, that when the Subterraneous Fires in the times of Earthquakes, have filled the Air with many Exhalations, thofe Exhalations themfelves, or their Union and Co-operation upon other Particles of the Air, have often produced Contagious and other Epedimical Diftempers. Thus we alfo fee that great and pernicious Poifons floating in the Air, being joined to other Matters, do thereby lofe their pernicious Qualities. And the Chymifls know very well, that how often foever the afore- mentioned Sublimate is exhaled or raifed up into the Air, it will flill remain a deadly Poifon : But if one take an equal Weight of Salt of Tartar, and mix it therewith, and then evaporate both together, their Parts will unite them- felves in the Air, and lofing their poifonous Faculty^ will produce a Medicine call'd Mercurius Dulcis, which is very good in many Cafes. Some afcribe it to the fame Caufe, that the Plague ceafes at Grand Cairo as foon as the Rivec Nik begins to fwell ; fo that whereas the very Day before there might die I i 500 2 1 2 The Religious Philofopher. 500 Perfons, the very next Day there would not perhaps die one, according to the Relation in Sandy's Ti-avels, Lib. II. The above- mention'd Mr. Boyk confirms the fame by many Inftances. That Gentleman has likewife taught us experimentally, that fluid Bodies may be changed into folid ones in the Air; for example, mix the Spitit of corrupted or fermented Urin with Brandy, which has not been entirely fe- parated from its Water ; and fetting it over the Flame of a Lamp, or fome other more gentle Heat, the Fumes afcending from thence will be turned into a folid Body in the Air, appearing at the Top of the Glafs like a fine white Sublimate, notwithftanding that before the Diftillation each of them was a liquid Matter. It is not our Defign in this place to enquire fo flridly, whether the abovementioned Ph£:nomena at Nimeguemind CairOy were rather to be afcribM to a Precipitation or Coagulation, which fome of the afcending Particles might produce in the Air ; but that fomething of the like nature may hap- pen in the Air, whether by Conjunftion or Separation, feems to be main- tainable in fome manner, from the Obfervation of the Profeffor Schagt, at the time of the Sicknefs at Leydeuy of which mention has been made before in Contemplation VII. and that which has been related to me by a curious and cbferving Gentleman, feems to confirm the faid Opinion, which he fays was commonly known to all the Inhabitants of London at that time, namely, that in the dreadful Peftilence ot the Year 166$, thofe Coffee- houfes that were continually filled with the Smoak of Tobacco^ were almoil the only places that efcaped the Infedtion. I fliuU not pretend to determine, whether what we have jufl: now mentioned muft be underflood to happen after the fame manner, as when a good quantity of Sublimate is diffolved in Water, and when into the fame Liquor, which is very poifonous, Salt oi Tartar ^ likewife diffolved in Water, is poured, fo long, till a reddifli Powder is produced and finks down to the Bottom, or, according to the Chymical Term, is precipitated i after which it will appear, that by the Operation of thefe two Matters upon each other, all the Poifon of the Sublimate will be done away: Or, whether it may be fuppofed to happen in Conformity to that other Experiment, and the Confequences there- of, in making of Mercurius Dtilcis, as has been obferved above. Our main Defign in all this, has been only to fhew, that upon confidering the whole Matter, we ought to fuppofe this Globe of Earth, with its ambient Air, not only to be a Mathematical Machine (which may be proved by other Experiments) but even a great Chymical Laboratory, in which the Air repre- fents a Recipient, in which thoufands of Kinds and Differences of exhaling Particles are coUeded, either by Subterraneous Fires, by the Heat of the Sun, or by fome other Caufes; or otherwife, as a Menflruum and Diffolvenr, which being poured out upon innumerable Matters, extrafts and unites to it felf various Particles from each of them : And thofe Particles being mingled with the Air, may varioufly operate upon each other, according to their different Natures and Properties. Sect. The Religious Philofopher. 21 ^i Sect. XIII. ConviSlions from the joregoing Ohfervations. Before we proceed any further, in cafe any body, be he who he will, that has formed a juft Notion of this Conftitution of the Air from what has been faid already, and knows what an infinite Number, not only of the fame, but even of different Kinds of Particles, do occur in the Air i after how many various manners they unite with each other • how from their Conjunction, from their Divifion or Separation, and otherwife, fo many per- nicious and fatal, as well as wholefome and ufeful Eftcfts may refult ,• I fay, if befides all this, he is affared, that without Air neither Animals will live, nor Plants growj Can he fit down eafie under a Perfwafion, that all things tio thus come to pafs either by Chance, or by Mechanical Caufes, entirely ignorant of what they are doing, and without any Wifdom cr Defign ? And that without an infinite over riiiing Power and Piovidence, this red Chaos, or confufed Mafs, fubjed tofuch an unfpeakable number of Alterations, by the multitude anddifigreeing Properties of its Parts, could have been adapted for fo long a Time, and flill continue fo to preferve alive fo many thoufand Animals and Plants, and to furnifli all that is particularly nectffary to every one of them, with fo vafl a Variety ? And can he imagine, that it is to be afcribed to any thing but a Divine Direftion, furpaffing all UnderRand- ing, that thefe things do not fall into the utmoft Confufion ? Yea, can he pofTibly, with all his Wifdom, form any juft Idea thereof? How from fuch a confufed Mixture of all kinds of things as the Air is, and among which many indeed are ferviceable and ufeful, but likewife many others, both pre- judicial and even contagious and fatal ; I fay. that each requifite Particle can difcharge its Fundion m its Place, and all the bad ones be prevented from doing harm, were it not that the Supreme Will of our adorable Ruler did herein exert its Wifdom and Power. Sect. XIV. The Invijibility and Infyidity of the Air 'very ufeful. The aforefaid Wifdom and Goodnefs of God has often occurred to me with great Aflonifhment, when I confidered, that He has been pleafed to fubjed to our Senfe of Seeing, Firey Water, Earthy Sun, Alcon, Stars, and almofl all other Creatures, excepting only the Air, which though we can feel well enough in Winds, and other Cafes, yet He has thought fit to render invifible to us. And yet, how does almofl every Man tremble, when he fees the Vapours and other adtive Particles therein, gathered together in dark Clouds, and threatning us with Thunder and Lightning, with Storms and Tempefls? Again, If any one fhould be obliged to drink the Waters of Fens and Marjhes, of Ditches and Kennels, mixt with Dirt and Naffinefs, tho* perhaps not otherwife pernicious, how loathfome would it appear to him ? Or if he fhould meet in it any of the Spawn of Serpents or 7oads, tho' there were not enough thereof to poifon him, yet with how much Fear and Terror would he take the Cup into his Hands ? And what pains would he take to feparate what was pure and wholefome from this dreadful Compofition ? Now, if in li 2 the 2 1 4 The Religious "Philojopher. the fame manner, all the Filthinefs that is to be found in the Aitj all the exhaling Particles, from foul and nafty Places, all the Vapours from (linking Puddles, or from rotten Carrion, or dead Carkaffes, all the afcending Steams from poifonous Minerals, and contagious Animals or Plants, all the difagree- able Effluvia from the Bodies of Men and Beads, and whatever elfe of other Infedions in the Air might be added hereto ; I fay, if all things were fee before his Eyes in the fame manner, would he not loath and naufeate the very fight of them? The fame would certainly befal him, if he were capa- ble of feeing with his Eyes the Air that he rauft conftantly breath, fill'd with fo many impure and unwholefome Particles; would he not live in a continual fear of being poifon'dby them? Would he not employ all the Powers of his Mind, even till he was tired, to find, if it were poiTible, among fuch a ioathfome heap of difagreeable things, fomethingthat was clean, and could he fuckt in without naufeating? Should we not fee Rich Men offering more Money for Places where the Air was pure and wholefome, than they now beflow for (lately Houfes and Country Seats ? Now it has pleafed the Gra- cious Diredor of all things fo carefully to provide againft the^e Inconveni- ences (that what befais us every Moment of our whole Lives, namely, the Infpiration and Expiration of Air, might be perform'd with Pleafure, or, at lead, without producing in us any difagreeable Senfations) as to render invi- fible to us that Air which would otherwife fet before our Eyes a perpetual Swarm of deteflable Objeds ; and by this means only ('tho' they fhould not be dangerous to our Health or Life) releafe us from inceifant Cares and Fears, of drawing into the Lungs by the Mouth and Wind-Pipe fuch a quan- tity of odious things. The like Averfion and Dread of fo many Particles floating in the Air would befal us, but in a much higher degree, if they fnould become fenfible to our Tafl:. Ought not then every Man to acknowledge his Obligations to the Wifdom and Mercy of the Great Ruler of this World ? Who, tho' hs caufes us to hear xh\s compounded Air in -F/«?e/ and Organs, to feel it in Winds and Storms, and to fmell it too in many Cafes; yet, that He might not make us miferable, has form'd it after fuch a manner, that notwithflanding its being impregnated and laden with fuch a Diverfity of Parts, it can be neither feen nor tafled, except in fome particular and very rare Cafes ; by which an Atheift may be convinced, that He who brings this about, does it of his free Will and Pleafure ; but by no means can it be faid to be thus or- der'd by neceffary Confequences, and much lefs by Chance. Accordingly we find, forlnftance, that when an Apothecary has pounded a good quantity of Aloes, and that the fined Parts thereof fly up, and mingle themfelves with the Air, their Bitternefs difcover itfelf to the Taft of thofe that fuck in that Air : And to fhew, that the Air is likewife in its own Nature vifible, we need only comprefs a good quantity thereof together in an Air- Pump, and then let it out again as quick as we can^ and it will prefently fhew itfelf to «ur Eyes like a Fog or Mift. Sect. The Religious Thilqfopher. 21 J Sect. XV. 'The Obfewations of Meteors re fumed. Bu T to return to the Meteors: If we fhould attempt to (liew the Caufes thereof fully and clearly, we muft do it by a number of Natural and Chy- mical_ Experiments, which might be rendered Analagous and Uniform to the fame in Little : But this would engage us in too large a Field ; we lliall however produce*fome few, to fliew how the fame are generated in the Air, without pretending that they may not come to pafs many other ways ; for as fomc of thefe, that are now known to us, were hid from the Ancients, fa perhaps feme may be difcover'd by our PoUerity, of which we are hitherto, ignorant. Sect. XVI, and XVII. Mifls and Fogs produced by many Exhalations , and by ■ the RarefaBion of the Air, Jhe^jjn Experimentally. To fay fomething firftof Mifis and Fogs : It is plain from what has been faid, that unfpeakable Numbers of watry" Vapours and other Exhalations do mingle themfelves with Air, by which they render it Thick and Untranfpa- rentorDark: As firll:, when they arife in too great a Qiiantity, and are fo clofely comprefled together, as to fill the Air, andtoobftrua: a free Paf- fage of Light. In the fame manner we fee in Chambers, where the Smoale does not go direftly up the Chimneys, as alfo by the .thick Steams of boil- ing Water in Kettles, the Air rendered in fome manner untranfparent and foggy t The fame happens by the numerous Vapours that arife in cold Weather in Winter, and here in Holland, upon the Breaking and Opening the Ice. The fecond way of producing Fogs and Vapours is, when the Air is more rarified than ufual, and thereupon becoming lighter, is no longer able to- balance the more heavy watry Vapours, and to keep them floating in its own Region. A plain Inftance thereof we may fee in Tab. XIV. Fig. 5. by ta- king fome of the V/ater out of the Glafs Globe A B (ft'om whence the Air was firfl: exhaufted, in order to fill it by the fpouting in of Water, as has been fhewn before on another Account in Contemplation XVII.) and then fa- ttening or fere wing it on to the Air- Pump at D, (o that the very fmall quan- tity of Air that remain'd in it at S, will appear above the Water N P R ; after which, a Vacuum being made in the Pump, the Cocks E and K muft be open'd ; by which means the Air, which at S gravitated upon the Water N P, meeting with no Refinance, will drive it down towards the Pump, and fo the Space A N P, becoming larger, the Air that is in it will be like- wife rhore expanded or rarified. Now, as it does alfo become lighter there- by, the watry Vapours in it will fink down, and produce a vidible and whi- tifh Fog in the Globe, and many times little Clouds, exaftly mimicking' thofe that we fee in the open Air. But thefe Mifts and Clouds, upon the Re-admiflion of the Air Q_W R thro' the Water, and by the Encreafe and Compreffion of the Air at S, do immediately difappear again, and the faid Air at S, as foon recovers its former Tranfparency ; and fo, toties quoties^ be- comes foggy and cloudy when it has an Opportunity of dilating itfelf and of forcing the Water out of the Globe, upon exhaufling the Airj and again becomsj? 21 6 The Religious Fhihfopher. becomes dear and tranfparent, upon the letting in of frefli Air: So that clear and foggy Weather may be as alternately reprefented as often as you pleafe af- ter this manner ; and even when there remain watry Vapours enough in the Air, this may be ftill produced, provided the Bubble be but a little moid within, tho' altogether empty of Water. Sect. XVIII. RefieBions and Ohfervathns u^cn the fame. We have made thefe Experiments very frequently, and from thence ob- ferv*d ; firfti that thefe Vapours, when the Air appear'd heavy in a Barome- ter, were not feen at the firft Pumping, nor did fhew themfelves fooner, till after fome Expanfions of the included Air, it became lighter and thinner. Secondly^ This Experiment did not fucceed well when the Water and Air were cool j probably, becaufe there were not watry Vapours enough mixed with the Air: Wherefore hot Water, in a little Giafs Veflel (Tab. XIV. Fig. 4.) M N, being placed under the Bell, prefently fill'd the Air with the Steams which exhaled from it; but upon the admiffion of frefli Air, vanifhed as before. It was likewife obferved at another time, that no Mift appearing in the Glafs Globe in cold Weather, upon making a Fire in the Room, and the Air in a Thermometer fhewing icfelf warmer, we renewed our Pumping a little while after, and the Fog became immediately vifible. Thirdly, We found likewife, that the Mift which had been thus produced in the Glafs, fubfided by degrees, and the Glafs became clearer, without admitting frefli Air into it. As alfo, Fourthlyy That thefe Mifts, by letting in frefli Air upon them, and by the Wind which the fame produced, being put into Motion, occafl- on'd an agreeable Rcprefentation of the irregular Courfe of the Clouds in the Air in the time o( Stortns and Te?npefls. I have related this Experiment fomething the more particularly, becaufe it did not always fucceed, and forafmuch as it feem'd to give us a great deal of Light into the Nature of Mifis and Clouds. Now that the Natural Mifts, and Fogs, and Clouds are of the fame kind with thefe Artificial ones, feems deducible from hence, that moft commonly when the Air lofes its Cleamefs, and becomes more dark and obfcure, the Mercury in the Barometers defcends, and ftiews thereby, that the Air is be- come lighter. I have likewife often obferved with Aftonifliment, that when the Air ap- peared clear all above and round about us, in a very fliort time after, the whole Heavens grew dark and were cover'd over with Clouds. Whether this may be deduced from a fudden thinning of the Air (becaufe we know of no other Reafon befides, that in fo little a fpace of Time can operate fo quick over the whole Face of the Heavens) I leave to others. The Barometer may be compared therewith. Sect. XIX. An Experiment to proue that Mifis and Fogs may be produced by Effervefcences . Thirdly, Another Manner by which the Air may be render'd foggy, will appear by an Experiment made with two little Glaflfes or Phials, containing I an The Religious Thilojopher. 2\j art Ounce each ; one of which being almoft filled with Spirit of Sa/t petre, or Aqua-fonis^ or elfe with Spirit of Common Salt, and t'other with that of Sal Armoniac ; put the Mouths of both the Bottles near to each other, and you will find, that the Exhalations of both being mingled in the Air, will produce a vifible Smoak or Mift, which, if the Bottles be placed far enough afunder, cannot be obferved in either of them. Now that this way o( Efervefceme, as the Chymifts call it, is brought about by the reciprocal Adion of their Particles in the Air, will be readily allov/- ed by any one that ever faw the Effervefcence or Fermentation that is caufed by pouring one of thefe Liquors upon the other. Sect. XX. An Experiment p-cving the like Effetl by Precipitations or Separations. Fourthly y W e learn another Way from Chymiflry of turning clear and tran- fparent Liquors oftentimes into a thick and troubled Matter, by Separation or Precipitation : Thus Sublimate or Vitriol diflolved in Water, and filtrated thro' a Paper, does yield a clear Liquor; but pour into it either Salt of T^r- tar or Potafi, like wife deluted in Water, both of which are tranfparent, and you Will prefently fee fome Parts of the firft Liquor precipitated or feparated from the reft j by which means the Liquors wiil lofe their Clearnefs, and be changed into a dark and thick Subftance. Whether this has alfo place in fome of thofe that People call Stinking Fogs, I fhall not enquire any farther here ; this is certain, that thofe Stenches have often a great affinity with that which we difcover in making Milk of Sulphury or the Golden Sulphur from Antimony. To prepare the laft, they ufe to boil in Water the Sulphur of the Regulus of Antimony mingled with Salt o( T^artar in the Fire, and to filtrate the fame thro' a Paper, fo that there proceeds from it a clear Liquor of a reddifii Co- lour, and without any Smell ; but putting in fome drops of Vinegar, a grie- vous Stench arifes from it, and the Liquors become thick and untranfparent, until there fubfides from it an Orange Colour and Yellowifh Powder, which is the Golden Poivderj and then both the Liquors become clear again. I have often thought with myfelf, whether there were not fomething like this in the Air, which by way of Precipitation might produce thofe Stinking Fogs; F/r/?, by reafon of the likenefs of the Scent; and Secondly, becaufe I have oftentimes obferved, upon the Days fucceeding thefe Fogs, a Reddifh or Orange Colour Scum, very like that of the above-mention'd Golden Sul- phur, upon ftanding Waters; which before thofe Fogs happened, were not to be found there. But I leave all this to further Enquiries. Sect. XXL Fogs are Clouds. After having treated of Foggy and Mifty Airs, it does not feem neceHa- ry to fay any thing more about Clouds; becaufe it is very credible, that what we call here below Mifts and Fogs, when raifed up higher in the Air, do compofe the Matter of Clouds; infomuch, that a Cloud is nothing but an exalted Fog. Now that this is fomething more than a bare Suppofition, ap- pears from Experimental Trials made by many People, who having climbed 21 8 The Religious Thilofopher. iiD high Mountains, met with thick Fogs in their way; but when they were arrived to the Top, ihey obierved the fame fioatiug under them like gieac and white Clouds'. J/arenus gives us a particular Relation thereof in his Gea- graphy, Lib.l. cap.i9- ^^^^' The fame is alVerced by that great Exammer of Nature, Mr. Manotte, m his Difcourfe Du Movement des Eaux, p. 19. That climbing up a Moimcain, at one place he was in the middle of a Fog, which whilft he was below at the Foot of the fame Mountain, appear'd to him like a Cloud. Another common Experiment may be made, when Gunners are trying their Cannon by difcharging feveral Pieces at^once : Now every one knows that the Smoak thereof feems to thofe that are under it like a Mift in the Air; and fo it appeared to me and others that were in the Boat with me, between Am- fterdam and Buikjlot, like a black Cloud driving foftiy i^^ ; efpecially, after it was carried by a gentle Wind, that did not fcatter it, to a good difiance from the place where it was difcharged, and raifed up higher in the Air. So that likewife it feems deducible from hence, that it is not always Watry Va- pours, but alfo other Particles and Exhalations of which the Clouds are com- pofed : Concerning which, as alfo of the Rains and Dews proceeding from the fame, and other Meteors properly belonging to Water, fomething more fubfervient to our Defign (hall be mention'd hereafter in our Comemplauon tipcn IVater. To proceed. Sect. XXII. Windy and its Ufefulnefsy and ConviBions from thence. Among the mofl common, but not the leaft wonderful. Motions of the Air, Wind has the principal place. Now it is known to every one, that the Wind is a Flood or a Stream of mov'd Air, infomuch that it wants no farther Proof after fo many Experiments ; only let us obferve here firft in general, that it is fomething, which after a very fublime manner, fliews the Power and Goodnefs of the Great Creator. They that have ever read of, or tried the dreadful Force of Storms and Tempefls, oi Hurricanes and T'ravadcesy will be fufficiently convinced of the refiftlefs Power of the Wind. But Cuftom makes us contemplate this great Wonder without any Emotion. But if there fliould be ftill any one fo wretch- ed as not to learn his Obligations of Thankfulnefs to the Great Giver of all Things from thefe his Works, let him for once fuppofe with us, that there was no fuch thing in the World as Wind or Motion of Air, but that it re- mained in a perpetual Stagnation quite round the Globe, like a Pond or Lake of thin and dead Water : Muu he not then own, Firfiy In cafe that what was raifed up in the Air (hould remain in the fame place, without being carried elfewhere, or fo long at leaft, till it grew lighter, and fo afcended ; or heavier, and then defcended, (to fay nothing of Cities and Countries, which after Earthquakes might be vifitcd with fad and fatal Diftempers, by the Corruption of the Air) that great Trading Towns and Populous Places, where the Smoak of fo many Fires of Coal, Turf or Wood, the Vapours offo many ftagnating Waters, the Stench of fo many impure Places, and thoufands of other kinds of Exhalations proceeding from Men, BeaftSj The Religious Vhilqfopher. * 219 Beafts,c!rc. did continually and inceffantly fill the Air ^ and the whole World too, would foon be one univerfal Church-yard and Burying-place • for all its Inhabitants wouM foon perifli, were it not that by tlie help of thefe Winds, fo exceeding neceflary towards the fupportofall Living Creatures frelh Air is continually derived to them from the Hills, and ocher healthy Places round about them ; and the unwholfome and inftdious Vapours driven from thence, and diffipated in the vafl Space of the Skies. And can he thatobferves all this, perfwade himfelf to believe that Winds are mecrly accidental, and that he owes no Thanks for this great Benefit to him that made the Winds. Secondly, If this is not enough to convince an Atheifl, yet he certainly knows, that if the Vapours drawn from Water were to fall down in the fame Place from whence the Sun had raifed them up, mod of *em being exhaled from the Sea, would likewife fall down into it again ; and that the dry Land Fruit-Trees, and Plants, would never be able to fliare in their Moifture*. Moreover, the Courfe of Rivers running from Inland Countries and Regions remote from the Sea, into which at lalt they difcharge themfelves, would likewife in time be partly or wholly dried up : Infomuch that Dews,' Rains, and Inundations of Rivers, that render the Earth fruitful, failing altogether* would make it at laft unfit to feed and keep alive, by its Produdlions^ Men and other Creatures that dwell upon it. Now this entire Deftrudion of almoft all that breaths upon the Earth, is folely prevented by the Winds : By Means of which thofe watry Vapours^ that do moftly arife from the Sea, are carried to dry Places, that they may there defcend in Rains, Dews, Snows, and other Meteors, and fupply for the moft part the refrefliing Streams of Brooks and Rivers with continual new Matter. Now if fo many Men, fo many Beads, fo many Birds, fo many Fifhes and fo many thoufands of Trees and Plants, were made without Wifdoni and Defign : Can any one fay, without the Contradidion of his Confcience, that the Winds, for want of which all of them would in a little time perifh by the Failure of their Suftenance, are thus made accidentally and without any- determinate Purpofe of our Great Preferver ? Would he ever dare to afferc the fame of fo inconfiderable an Inftrument as even a Watering- Por, where- with we refrefli the Plants and Flowers of our Gardens ? And feeing that fuch a thing was adapted to convey a little Water from fome adjacent Well, or Brook, into a Garden, and there regularly to fprinkle the Parts thereof- would he dare to maintain, that even fuch a contemptible Veflel was made without any Defign of the Artificer ? But if not, how can he exped to pafs for a rational Creature, when he pretends to believe the fame of the Winds, thofe great Aqusedufts and Watering-Pots of the whole Earth, and for that reafon the Prefervers of his own Life, and that of all other Creatures ? thirdly. Now to pafs by the Obligations under which thofe Men lye, that make fuch great ufe of the Powers of the Winds to their Advantage and Pieafure both; fo that where there are Rivers to turn Mills, they can apply thefe Streams of Air to the fame Purpofe : Can it be imagined, that K k the 2'2o The Religious Thilofopher. the faid Winds are produced accidentally, when v/ithout their Affiftance the Inhabitants of the World could reap no Benefit from any of thofe Countries that are feparated from them by great Seas, nor enjoy any Communication therewith J* If fuch Powers of the Wind, (by which great and heavy Ships are convey'd fo fwiftly from one Part of the World to another ; by which fach ^reat Machines can be moved as (liall fuffice, with the Care of a few Men, to drain and keep cry fo many watry Lands, to faw and prepare fo much Wood for Buildmg) could be bought or hired with Money ; Can any one beheve, that belides the Merchants, almoii every Body in the World would not be ready to contribute their Share, and to pay their Quoraj that they might likewife partake of the good Things of other Countries, and of the beneficial Effects of Ships and Mills ? Now the moft Gracious Ruler and Freferver of all Things does hold this great and ufeful Power, the Wind, in continual Readinefs for every Man that will embrace the Advantage of it, even for nothing, and without expeding any other Return than Thankful- nefs : And ail this he vouchfafes to do, that he may difplay his Wonders even to his hnemies themfelves, by a Matter that is invifibie ; infomuch, that it one had always liv'd in a place where the ufe of the Wind was never known, he could hardiy be induced by the flrongell Arguments to give any credit to fucha ftrange and unconceivable thing. And can then an Atheift (it down contented, when he not only refufes to acknowledge this Benefit (but even blafphemoufiy denies with his Mouth the great Giver of all thofe things, and if it were polfible, wou'd moft ungrate- fully blot him out of his Heart alfo) which, by the Adminiiiration of thefe Winds, happen to the Advantage of himfelf and all Mankind? Certainly, if the Winds were produced by no other Caufes than mere Chance, opera- ting now this way and then another, fuch a Man ought to be in a continual Fear, that the Air would become fatal and peftilential ; by ftagnating and putrifying, and the whole Earth a Wildernefs for want of Rain, and that he himfelf and all Living Creatures would perifh by Hunger and Thirft r And. if the Winds were not beftowed upon Mankind as a Token of the Mer- cy of its Creator, might not he himfelf draw this Confequence, that he could not be able to efcape the Power that exerts its felf fo terribly in the Winds, and at fome time or other he would mofi: juftly feel the Effeds thereof, as a Punifhment for thefe his Blafphemies ? Sect. XXIIL The7rade Winds and Monfoons I T muft indeed be allowed, That if there be any thing in the World that thefe miferable Philofophers may, with an Appearance of Truth, pre- tend to be accidental, it is the Wind, efpecially after the manner that ic moves and blows in thefe Countries; infomuch, that it even gives a Handle to that Proverb, by which, if one would exprefs in the ffrongeft manner the Inconftancy and Ficklenefs of another, we fay, he is as Changeable as the Wind. But to convince them, that even the Winds are far from being governed by a mere and variable Chance ; let them enquire into tlie Expe- riments The Religious Thilofophers 221 nmentsof Sea-faring People; and they will fee (and if G o d be rracious enough to them, they will likewife be convinced^ that the Frovicknce of the Great Governour has bound theie Winds, which Teem to us to come from all Corners of the World wich (o much Itregularicy and Uncertainty, by as fixed and determinate Laws, as ever aay Clock or Watch made by its ArtiHcer. But not to fpeak any thing more in Confirmation of what we have now faid concerning thofe Land and Sea Winds, which, vibrating like the Pen- dulum of a Clock, do every four and twenty Hours blow backwards and forwards upon certain Coafts, without which many Countries would not be able to fubfift, nor many Voyages be mxdQ fately and conveniently; there are befides the changeab.e Winds that govern in our, and otherJ^arts of the World, two principal and v/ell known Kinds of regular Ifinds : One of / which does the whole Year round obferve in a manner oik: and the fame Courfe, always blowing from the fame Qiarcer, without any Oofervacion of any Return, or ofany contrary Wind ; and thefe are named by Mariners and Geographers, Pajfage or Trade IVmds. Thofe of the Second Sort are fuch as they call by the Name of Monfoon or Moufoons (m Latm Motiones) and thefe blow one halt Year from one Corner, and then another half Year from that Qiiarter of the Heavens dirediy oppoiice. Wichouc tiiefe Trade -Winds, hov/ could they fail upon the great Ocean ? How could there hardly any Ship arrive at the Ea/l-Lul^es ? Since at fome Degrees North of the Equinoctial you meet with a South Eaft or Trade- Wind, which, being in a manner diredly contrary, does perpetually reign there ; and as near as a Snip can fail againfl or bear up to the Wind, as they term it, drives it upon the Coafl: of America and to the Abrolbos ; and where- as they endeavour to fleer their Coaft Eaftward, they ore obliged to make away fo far to theWeR, that they may get out of the reach of thefe Trade- Wind?,^ Being come fo far, they are brougnt by changeable Winds to the Capeoj Good Hope : From whence failing into the 38ch, ^pth, atid 40th De- gree of Southern Lacicude, they meet with another Trade Wind, \vW\ch blowing almoft contrary to the former, and to the Northward of the Weft (for which reafon it is called the Welkrly Trade- Wind) carries the Ship to the Journey's End ; and ^ that too with fo great a Force fometimes, that ac- cording to the Obfervations which a very curious Mariner communicated ? to me out of his Journal, his Ship was driven by this Wind above 50 Leagues'*'// to the Eaftward m the fpace of 24 Hours And when the Ships return • from the Eaft Indies^ the firfl South- Eafl: Trade-Wind is again ferviceable to ^ them, to carry them fome Degree North of the Line. Sect. XXIV. ConviSiions from the for egoivg Obfervations. I H A V E often confider'd with myfelf the great Advantages that accrue to the Dutch from their Travelling in Trek-Schuita, or Boats drawn with one or more Horfes; by which they can in a manner, throughout the whole Coun- try, compute exaftiy the Time required to pafs from one Place to another, let the Dillance be what it will. Kk2 Wil 222 The Religious Thilofopher. Will now any Atheift, how obdurate fo ever he may be, dare to maintain, that thofe who alone enjoy the Conveniency thereof, are not the leaft obli- ged to the Prudence and Forefight of their Governours for it ; who have been pleafed to appoint the fame for the Publick Good, in order to render the Correfpondence of one City with another the mofl cheap and conveni- ent to the Inhabitants ? And that thofe have mofl Truth on their Side, who affirm, that it is by mere Chance, or at leaft, without any View or Defign, that at every time, and as often as it is required, frefh Horfes are at hand to draw the faid Boats ? . , , • ^ n • Now if we were to ufe no other Arguments; might not this Conftancy, m fuch uncertain and variable Motions as are thofe of the Winds, convince every rearonaii>l£. Perfon, that the Creator and Ruler of all Things, has there- by propofedVS^'himfdf certain principal Ends and Purpofes ? For if varia- ble Winds and Calms fhould indifferently reign in all Parts of the Ocean, what Computation could be made of bringing a Voyage to any fort of Con- clufion ? And how many unhappy Seamen being detained in thefe long Voy- ages by Calms or contrary Winds, would run the Risk of perifliing with Hun- ger and Thirft. * w- . Let no body think that we carry this our Affertion too tar; becaufe the great Creator of all Things, in order to flop the Mouth of thefe blafphe- mous and deplorable Atheifts, and to deprive them of all Evafions, and fliel- tering themfelves again behind a neceftary Confequence of ignorant and na- tural Caufes, has fliown them that it was in his Power to have governed the Winds after a quite different manner ; and particularly to have rendered the Seas irapraaicable and unnavigable by Calms and variable Winds. For a Proof hereof, we fhall make ufe of the Words of that great Mathe- matician, the prefent learned Profefl'or of Geometry at Oxfordy Dr. Edmund Halley, who, after he had been a long time between the 7ropkks upon the Kland' of St. Helena, and having made the diligent Enquiry into the Nature of the Winds by all poifible Means, informs us (as we find it in the Philofo- fhkal TranfaSiions Numb. 183.) that about the Coaft of Guinea he obferved many Calms and Tornado's, which are terrible Winds, and run round the whole Compafs, and then he proceeds, Sedt. 7. that between the fourth and unth Degree of Northern Latitude, between Cape Verde and the Eaftern Iflands^ of the fame Name^ there is a great Extent of the Sea, of which it might be faid, that there did not blow any, not even variable Winds at all -, and that the Sea feemed to be condemned to a perpetual Cairn, and was attended with dreadful Claps of Thun- der and Flajhes of Lightning, hnd great Storms of Rain. The M^inds that are there did only deferve the Name of little uncertain Blafis, Jhifting hourly, and before they fiifted, becoming Calm; fo that fever al Ships be] ore they could fail 6 Degrees, or about 120 Leagues, were obliged to fp end whole Months {Varenius, in his Geo- graphy, Lib. I. cap. 21. §. 16. fays three at leaft) /or want of a Wind. They that would be further informed of the Properties of thefe Winds, may meet with a great many Obfervations and Difcourfes concerning them in the Works of the learned Lord Bacon, Varenius, Mariotte, and the fo cal- led Sea- Charts or Atlas j particularly all that relates to Trade Winds and Monfoonsy The Religious Thihfopher: 222 Monfoom, is very accurately dcfcribed by the faid Ingenious Dr. Haliey, and may be found in the abovemention'd PhikfopbicalTranJaB, Ntimh. 185. Sect. XXV. A Brief Defer ipion of the faid Winds. To inform a general Notion of this, let any one place before himfelf a Globe or Map of the World, and view that Zone that is contained be- tween the Tropicks on each fide of the Equinodial, as Dr. HaOey has repre- fented it j They call it the T'orrid Zone, by reafon of the Heat. Here he will fee, that the Waters of the great and general Ocean may be confider'd as divided into three Parts, by the Intervention of Lands : The firfl is xhzEthio-/^/ pic and Atlantic Sea, between Africa and America ; to the Eaftward there lies7\