The Book of Nature Translated and Epitomized, Chapter 2
Chap. 2.
Section. I.
The generall agreement that is found in the constitution of man, with other creatures.
THe agreement or similitude man hath with the three inferiour sorts of creatures, is twofold, general and special. So also is his difference from them, or excellency above them, generall and special. His general agrement is this.
1. He has being, with elements, Sun, Moon, Stars, and all inanimate compounds. His body is compounded of, nourished and mainteined by the elements and products thereof, as other things are. He dwells and lives in and by them, every moment.
2. He has life, with trees and plants. They live, are nourish'd, grow, encrease, and multiply, by propagation of their like. The herb yeeldeth seed, and the fruit-tree yeeldeth fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself. Gen. 1. 11.
3. In harmony or agrement with things of the third degree, birds, beasts, fishes, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth, he has outward senses; seing, hearing, &c. He has also all the inward senses, powers, or faculties of animalish life. He has the attractive, retentive, digestive, and expulsive powers, in order to growth, nourishment, and generation. He sees, hear's, smell's, tast's, sleep's, wake's, eates, drink's, &c. as they do. No degree then of created being, is wanting in the composition of every individual man. He ha's being, with all inanimate parts of the creation; life, with herbs and trees; sense, with beasts, reason, with angels. He is the only true microcosm, or little world, in whose nature and constitution is put together al the variety of nature that's to be found in the whole creation.
SECT. II.
The fruit or profit that's to be reaped from this general agrement of man with all inferiour creatures.
FRom this general view and comparison of himself with all inferiour creatures, may man argue and certainly conclude, that there is some invisible lord over him, who gave to all inferiour things what they have; and to himself, what he has. If he had given to inferiour things, what they have, he had bin their creatour. If inferiour things had given him, what he has, they had given him more then they have in themselvs, and would be superiour to him. The same almighty lord made, order'd, proportion'd, and limited all, within their severall bounds. All are the works of his hands. He made us, and not we ourselvs. Ps. 100. 3.
Again, the excellent order of so different and innumerable things, demonstrates the creatour to be but one. Every inferiour order of things is exactly calculated and fitted to the use and service of it's superiour. The elements enter the constitution of trees and plants, nourishing them continually. Herbs and the fruits of trees enter into creatures endued with sense, and nourish them. Elements, herbs, fruits, and the flesh of beasts, enter into man, and nourish him. The celestial bodies, Sun, moon and stars do influence and give vigour and warmth unto all. Thus do inferiour things help the superiour, in great unity, harmony, and order. Things in the first, second, and third degrees, are ordeined for the service of man, who is the only creature in the fourth.
Now if the many particular and speciall natures, comprehended in the three general degrees of inferiour things, be ordeined for the relief and Service of one nature only, to wit, man's; much more ought that nature to yeeld itself wholly up to the service of one only nature above it, the divine.
There are many distinct special natures comprehended under one generall, in the three inferiour degrees of things. There are many species or natures in the first; elements, sun, moon, stars, metals, mineralls, stones, &c. In the second, are many several natures, species or kinds of trees and plants. In the third, are several kinds of birds, beasts, fishes, and creeping things, very different in their natures. But in the fourth, we find only one nature or species, wherein all the individuals do agree.
All the severall species or distinct natures of things in the first degree, are united in one generall consideration, as having being only. All the several species in the second, have being and life only. All in the third, agree in this, that they have being, life and sense only, not reason. Thus may we observe a generall unity of the distinct respective species under the three inferiour degrees of creatures. In the fourth, all are of one species or particular nature, differing only individually. And that nature which is above humane, and all the rest, must have one degree of unity above humane, to wit, numericall, without any diversity, so much as in individuals. One degree of unity ought to be acknowledg'd incident to the divine nature, above humane, which can be no other, or lesse then this; that one and the same undivided substance, nature, or essence, be found in three divine persons, really distinct from, and yet most intimately one with each other. Otherwise would nor the unity of divine nature in three persons, be superiour to the unity of humane nature in three or more men. All created natures are gathered up and knit together in humane nature, which is but one species; and humane nature is united with the supream nature of all. So comes the whole world to be consummated and terminated in the greatest unity that is possible.
Moreover, he that gave being, life, sense, and understanding to his creatures, has all these eminently and incomparably in himself, beyond what they are in the creature. He has being, life, sense, and understanding, in supream perfection and unity. He had them from all eternity in himself, He received them not from any other, nor did he give them to himself. They are not limited in him. For who should measure them out unto him? They are infinite, immeasurable, and boundless. They are all one and the same thing, in him. Life, sense, and understanding, are the self-same thing with his being. In him is no composition. What then is attributable unto his being, is attributable to all the rest. If his being be infinite, his understanding is infinite, &c.
Thus having found out the infinite perfection of God, by the finite things which he hath made, we may further conclude from such infinite perfection, that he made not the world, as standing in need of any thing his creatures could be or do unto him, for ever. But in meer bounty, did he communicate unto them their being, in order to bring them into a final state of indissoluble union with himself, which is their utmost perfection and eternall blessednes.