_s________ T_he_E----'xijl'-.ence of G~O_D_. ______ ~ Chap.o. ~ C. HA P. I I. The Air a fit medium to convey the Light and Influences of the Heavens to the lower World. 'Tu the rep'!Jitory of Vapours that are drawn up by the Sun, and defcend in fruitful Showers. The Winds of great benefit. The feparation of the Sea from the Ldnd the ejfell of great Wt{dom and Power. That the Earth is not an erual Globe, u both plvafont and ujeful. The league of the Elements cotifidered. EzceUent Wifi/om -vijible in Plants and Fruits. 1 he Jhapes of Animals are . anfwerable to their properties. They regularly all to preferve thtmfelves. The Bees, Swallows, Ants direlled by anezceUent mind. THE Expanfio~ _of the Ai.r from theErh~~ial Heavens to the Earth, is another tefl:imony of Dn'me_ ProvJdcnce. Fo: us tranfparen~ and of a fubrile Nature, and thereby a fit medmm to convey L1ghr and Cel efiml In fluences to the lower \.Yorld. It receives the firO: impr~ffions of the Hea vens, and iniinn:uing without rdiftance, conveys them _ro 1he ~1oft d1f1a~t ~bings. By it the. grearrfl: numbers of ufe~ul objeCts, that cannot by nmned 1_are app!Jcat10n to our faculttes be known, are tranrmmed in their images and reprcfc:ntattons : AJI colours and figures to the Eye, founds to the Ear. Tis neceffary for the fubfiflence of Animals that live by refpiration. It mixes with their nour i(hmem, cools the inw:trd heat, an j tempers its violence. Befides, in the Ai r Vapours are attraCI:ed by tl~e Sun, till they afcend to that height to which JtS rcfle:C:bon does not arnve,. and there lolmg the foul of heat that was only borrowed, by degrees r~rurn to then n~1ive coldnefs, and are gathered imo Clouds, which do not break 111 a deluge of Waters that would wafl1 away the feed, but diffolving in to fruitful fhowcrs, £111 in millions of drops to refrefl1 the Earth ; fo that what is taken from it without lofs, is refl:ored with immenfe profit. The Air is the field of the Winds, an invifible generation of Spirits whofe Life confifls in motion. Thefe are of divers qualities and effeCJ:s, for the advantage of the World. Some are turbid, others ferene and chearful) fome warm and refrething, others cold and fharp; fame are pla~id and gentle, others furious and fl:ormy; fame moifr, other dry. They cleanfe and punfie the Air that otherwjfe would corrupt by the fctling of Vapours, and be deflruCJ:ivc to the hves of Animals. They convey the Clouds for the univerfal benefit of the F;atth: For if the Clouds had no motion but direCJ:ly upwards, they mufl only fall on thofe parts from whence they afcended, to the great damage of the Earth. For rnoifl places that fend up plenty of Vapours would be overflowed;_ and the highefl parts, mwhich no other \.Yateisanle, would be unfrunful. Now theWmds are affignedtoall the quarters of the World, and as the Reins are Dack or hard, they guide the Clouds for the advantage of the lower World. The reparation of theSea from the Land, and con.taining ~t wjrhin juO: bounds, is the ~~~~i~r; ~ 1~b~;:rt.W 1~d~il~nf~p~~~:d~e::;va;~bfo~~~t~Fy ~}:J~fsl~ts'~oEJ~ab~~~io~s 0;ag~~~~ fulnefs. 'Tis now the convenient fear of terrefhial Animals, and fupplies their Provifions. And the Sea is fit for Navigation, whereby the mof\ diflant Regions maintain Commerce for their mutual help and comfort. The Rivers difpers'd through the veins of the Earth, preferve its beauty, and make it fruitful, They are always in mmion, to prevent corrupting, ...and to vifit feveral Parts, thatthe labour of cultivating may not ce in vain. And thatthefe Waters may not fail, the innumerable branches fpread throuRh the Earth, at Jafl unite in the main Body of the Sea. What they pour into it, through fecret chanels they derive from it, by a natural perpetual circulation, not to be imitated by Art. In this we have a clear proof of the Wif- . dom and Goodnefs of the Creator. T hat the Earth is not an equal Globe, but fame parts are rais'd into Hills and Mountains, others funk into deep Vallies; fame areimmenfe Plains, alfetls with various delight, and isufeful for excellent ends: Not only for the produCJ:ion ofMinerals, of Marble and Stones requifite for Buildings, but for the thriving of feveral kinds of Grain and Plants that are necelfary for Food or *Medicine: For fame love the Shade, others the Sun; fame flouri!b bef\ on Rocks and Precipices, others in low moifl places; Come deligh t in Hills, others
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