CHAPTER XX. 157 the objects of thought and meditation, by ranging every being with all the absolute and relative perfections and properties, modes and attendants of it in proper ranks or classes, and thereby it discovers the various relations of things to each other, and what are their general or special differences from each other, wherein a great part of human knowledge consists. And by this means it greatly conduces to instruct us in method, or the dispo- sition of every thing into its proper rank andclass of beings, at- tributes, or actions. XVI. If I were to say any thing of natural philosophy, I would venture to lay down my sentiments thus: I think it must needs be very useful to a divine to understand something of na- tural science. The mere natural history of birds, beasts, and fishes, of insects, trees, and plants, as well as of meteors, such as, clouds, thunders, lightnings, snow, hail, frost, Sec. in all their common or uncommon appearances, may be of considerable use to one who studies divinity, to give him a wider and more delightful view of the works of God, and to furnish him with lively and happy images and metaphors drawn from the large volume of nature, to display and represent the things of God and religion in the most beautiful and affecting colours. And if the mere history of these things be useful for this purpose, surely it will be of further advantage to be led into the reasons, causes and effects of these natural objects and appear- ances, and to know the established laws of nature, matter, and motion, whereby the great God carries on his extensive works of providence from the creation to this day. I confess, the old Aristotelean scheme of this science, will teach us very little that is worth the knowing about these mat- ters; but the later writers; who have explained nature and its Operations in a more sensible and geometrical manner, are well worth the moderate study of a divine : especially those who have followed the principles of that wonder of our age and nation, Sir Isaac Newton. There is much pleasure and entertainment, is well as real profit, to be derived from those admirable im- provements which have been advanced in natural philosophy of late years, by the assistance of mathematical learning, as well as from the multitude of experiments which have been made and are still making in natural subjects. XVII. This is a science which indeed eminently belongs to the physician ; he ought to know all the parts of human nature, , what are the sound and healthy functions of an animal body, and what are the distempers and dangers which attend it ; he should alsobe furnished with a large knowledge of plants and minerals, and every thing which makes up the materia medica, or the in..; gredients of which medicine are made ; and many other things in natural philosophy are subservient to his profession, as well as td the kindred art of surgery.
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