427 / 652
SECT.
Iv.]
THE HAPPINESS
OF
SEPARATE
SPIRITS.
41T
him with new
matter
for
the praise
of
God
in
the long
successions
of
eternity.
There
is
scarce
an
animal
of
the more complete
kind,
but would
entertain
an angel with
rich curiosities,
and
feed his
contemplation
for an
age.
What
a
rich
and
artful
structure of
flesh
upon
the
solid
and
well
compact-
ed
foundation of
bones
!
What
curious
joints
and hinges,
on which
the
limbs
are
moved
to
and
fro
!
What
an in-
conceivable variety
of
nerves, veins,
arteries,
fibres,
and little
invisible
parts, are
found
in
every
member!
What
various
fluids,
blood and juices,
run through and
agitate
the
innumerable slender
tubes, the hollow strings
and strainers
of
the body
!
What
millions of folding -
doors are
fixed within,
to stop
those
red
or
transparent
rivulets
in
their
course,
either
to
prevent their
return
backwards,
or
else as
a means
to
swell
the muscles
and
move the limbs
!
What
endless
contrivances
to
secure
life, to
nourish nature, and
to
propagate the
same to
future
animals
!
What
amazing lengths
of
holy
meditation
would an angel
run upon
these subjects
!
and
what
sub-
lime strains
of
praise
would a heavenly
philosopher raise
hourly
to
the Almighty
and
All-wise
Creator
!
And all
this from the
mere.
brutal
world
!
But
if
we
survey
the
nature of
man,
he
is
a
creature
made up
of
mind
and
animal united, and
would
furnish
.still
more
numerous
and
exalted materials for contem-
plation and praise
;
for
he has all
the
richest
wonders
of
animal
nature
in him,
besides the
unknown
mysteries
of
mind
or
spirit. Surely
it
will
create a
sacred pleasure
in
happy
souls
above;
to
learn
the
wonders
of
divine skill
exerted and shining
in
their
own
formation, and
in
the
curious
workmanship
of
those bodily engines in which
they once dwelt and acted.
Then
let them descend to herbs
and plants. How
numerous are
all the
products
of
earth upon her green
surface, and
all within
her
dark
bowels
!
All
the vege-
table and the mineral kingdoms
!
How many
centuries
would all these
entertain
an heavenly
enquirer
!
The
worlds
of
air,
and
the worlds
of
water,
the pla-
netary
and
the
starry
worlds,
are
still
new objects rich
with
curiosities
;
these
are
all
monuments
of
divine
wis-
dom,
and
fit
subjects for
the contemplation
of
the blessed.
Nor
can
we
be
supposed
to have
for ever done
with
them
VOL.
III.
E