Chap.28. an expofition upon the Book of Jost. Verf. s . , Q9 out its roots in the earth. In what manner Minerals may be laid Degenerationc to be generated, and fo (improperly) co grow , is matter of dif- Meallorumle- courfe among Natural Philofophers, to whom I refer the reader 8endr5eg: that delights in fuch kindeof fpeculations. Plimus lib. 43. Again, Man by his wildem in fearching for flyer, goes not 6'34° only to the veins or ffreames,but to the well-head; For as a foun- tain is the head from which the waters bubbles upand Howes into ífreame and channels for the ufe of man and beaff,fo Elver bath its fountain, and thofe feveral veins are as rivolet, or cuts into which it is divided. And this may be underffood two ways. Fir1f, In reference to chofe natural fubterranean pores or ca- vities, in which the Elver is bred andnourifhed. Secondly, In reference to chofe artificial fubterranean paffages, by which, when once the vein is found, the Elver is extracted and fetched up out of theearth. For as there is a way innature where- by the ore offilver fpreadeth it felf under the earth, Co there is a way made by art, through which filver is brought out of theearth. But I (hall not fray upon there things, which belongs properly to Naturaliffs and Mineralifts; It is enough for my purpofe toknow that There is vein for thefilver, though we labour not to know all the curiofities and myfieries of art and nature about it. Oncly take notice that the word in the Hebrewwhich we render filver, leads us into a moral, (and that a very ufeful) confideration a- bout ir. As Adam gave names co the beafis, or living creatures, futable to their conditions and qualifications, fo that we may read and learnmuch of their nature in their names : So the Spiritof God bath put a name upon filver, which as it notes the excellency and ufefulnefs of it, fo the aptnefs of man to be enfnared by ir. The delires of man commonly lead him into Cures.And to (hew how much man would delire, long and luft after filver, it is ex- preffed by a word which lignifies todelire, or to have the heart and affe&tons vehemently carryed out to or upon any objet. Bon aeoctu- As if God would informe man that filver bath in it a very aura- pijcendo erdefo_ Stive power to (fir up anddraw out our affections after it. Many derandoditlum. things in nature cannot fpeak, which have a mighty perfwa- fion in their nature. Silver isfilent, and fpeechlefs ; yet what an vbicun ; una orator is filver ? How doth it move parlions in the minds of men ? vent nt agenre And as where one vein of filver is found in the earth, another is invents eß;non not far off; fo where one defire,of flyer arifeth in the earthly proculinveni E e mind Cur alia.Plin.
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