The Book of Nature Translated and Epitomized, Chapter 3
Chap. 3.
Section. I.
The special agrement or harmony, that is found in the constitution of man, with other creatures.
1. MAn has a special harmony with the lowest sort of inferiour things, in the frame or composition of his body, as also in the scit…ation of the parts thereof. He is made up of the same elemental materials with them. The nobler and more excellent of them are scituated above those of lesser value. The celestial bodies are highest; the earth is the lowest part of the visible creation. The elements, according to their different intrinsecall worth and usefulnes, have their place and scituation in the universe, higher, or lower. So in the body of man, the head, as the noblest part, is the highest: the feet, as the meanest, are the lowest. And as the heavenly bodies do influence and rule the inferiour parts of the world, so do the head, hands, and other superiour parts of man's body, govern and order the inferiour.
2. Man has a special agrement or similitude with things of the second degree, in the production of his body. The seed of plants and trees is sown and lies hid for a season in the earth; so is the seed from which man in due time springs up, sown and covered in the lowest parts of the earth. Again, from one small seed, wherein is no apparent diversity, but great similitude of parts, many very different things do spring up and come forth, as roots, stock, bark, pith, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. In like manner, from the small seed of man, wherein is no discernable dissimilitude or diversity of parts, do so many different, and wonderfull parts come forth, head, eyes, nose, ears, tongue, hands, fingers, leggs, feet, toes, brain, heart, lungs, stomack, liver, spleen, reins, bones, nervs, veins, arteries, &c. When we duly consider such a number of different parts, so fitly disposed, qualified, temper'd and scituated for our use, we may well conclude, that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, curiously wrought or embroidered by the hand of the lord.
3. Thirdly, man has a special agrement and much more likenes yet, with things of the third degree, in the production, constitution, and life of his body. They are generated by male and female; so is he. They are formed and in due season brought forth, as he. They have head, eyes, nose, mouth, tongue, teeth, heart, liver, stomack, and other parts, as he. They can se, hear, goe from place to place, eat, drink, digest, and be nourish'd, as he. And as in time, they come to die, and return to the earth, from whence they sprung up, so he. For that which befalleth the sons of men, befalleth beasts; as the one dieth, so dieth the other. All go unto one place. All are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. The spirit of man goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast goeth downward to the earth, as well as his body: but the bodies of both return alike unto dust.
SECT. II.
The fruit that's to be reaped from this special agrement of man with inferiour creatures.
1. THe knowledg hence to be gained, is like unto the former; as a farther strengthning and confirmation thereof. The special agrement of man does more and more confirm us in this perswasion, that the same workman made all, and that the same lord that made them, orders and disposes all things by his counsell and providence, to the uses and ends by him intended.
2. The infinite power, wisdom, and goodnes of the creatour and disposer of all things, does appear in this, that out of the same elementary matter, he form's up such innumerable different things, as are to be found in the visible creation … the chief and most excellent whereof, is the body of man, qualified and organized for the performance of all manner of rationall, sensitive, and vegetal operations, by his Spirit. We may farther conclude, that he who could form up such an excellent thing as is the body of man, out of the lowest element, can exalt it yet higher, out of the state and fashiō of an earthly, mortal body, into the state of a spiritual, heavenly, and immortal body. 1 Cor. 15. 44. This advance of knowledg may we gain from our special agrement with other creatures. 'Tis our duty and concern, thus to mark and spell out the significant instruction, which by the voices of the creatures is ministred unto us, in the book of nature. So much of the agrement of man with other creatures, general, and special; with the fruits of both.