a 5 8 Chip. 38. An Expoftionuponthe Bookofjo a. Véri. 8. Hence Note , Firft ; The earth ie a huge v.°ft body. That is very bib , whole big,oefs is nit eafily perceived , if at all perceivable ; and fuch is the breadth or bigne[s of the earth. Whence take this double Inference ; Firfl , If the earth be fuch a great thing, that a man cannot perceive the breadth or dimensions of it , then how great are the heavens ! The earth in comparifon of the heavens is butas a point , 'ris as little as is imaginable. O what a broad thing is heaven , if the earth be fuch , that we cannot reach the breadth of it! Secondly , If the earth be fogreat, howgreat is God, who made the heavensand the earth too ! That's it which God would leadlob to the confideration of,evenof his own infinite greatnefs. Howgreat is God , who made thisgreat earth I To him (as the prophet Ifaiah fpeaks , chap. 40. 15,16. ) The Nations, the people (of the earth) are butas the dropofa backer , andas the daft of theballar,ce He weighs the mountains in Bales, and the hills in a balance : He holds the duff as one finale grain in his hand. What a nothing are all thingi to God, feeing the earth is a no- thing to the heavens ! Godputs the queftion to fob , Hall thou perceived the breadth of the earth ? and we may put that queftion into this negative Propofition , 0 fob , Thou haft not perceived the breadth of the earth. The wifefi of men knòw not the breadthor bignefsof the earth. Some have undertaken to tell us how great the circle of the earth is ; but theirs are but guel- fes: thoughfomewhat may be faid that way , yet no man cangive it exao`tly ; and therefore the Roman O:ator attempting to write about the earth and the dimenfions ofit,prefacethor apologizeth DeGeogvophia thus for himrelf; I will do myendeavour tofatiofe thee about Gee- dabo operas graphy,orthe dimenfions ofthe earth,but fpromife nothing ofcertain- ut tibifatirfa- ty,'tis a great work. Haft thou known thebreadth of theearth? dam, fed nihil cirri potliceor; Declare if thou knoweft it all. magnum opiu As if the Lord had laid ¡have put the ue ton to thee ; come O. C,cero ad s rill i 1e s: now anfirer me, declare what thou knoweft letme knowwhither ep. 4. thou knoweft it all. God provokes or challengeth fob to fayhis ut moor. We may refer thefe laft words either(truly to the im- mediate
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