1that vaſt magnitude of the Univerſe, which thou afterwards
eſt to be too immenſe? If thou comprehendeſt it; wilt thou
hold that thy apprehenſion extendeth it ſelf farther than the
vine Power? wilt thou ſay, that thou canſt imagine greater
things than thoſe which God can bring to paſſe? But if thou
apprehendeſt it not, why wilt thou paſſe thy verdict upon things
beyond thy comprehenſion?
eſt to be too immenſe? If thou comprehendeſt it; wilt thou
hold that thy apprehenſion extendeth it ſelf farther than the
vine Power? wilt thou ſay, that thou canſt imagine greater
things than thoſe which God can bring to paſſe? But if thou
apprehendeſt it not, why wilt thou paſſe thy verdict upon things
beyond thy comprehenſion?
Immenſe
nitudes and
bers are
henſible by our
derſtanding.
nitudes and
bers are
henſible by our
derſtanding.
SIMP. All this is very well, nor can it be denied, but that
Heaven may in greatneſſe ſurpaſſe our imagination, as alſo that
God might have created it thouſands of times vaſter than now it
is; but we ought not to grant any thing to have been made in
vain, and to be idle in the Univerſe. Now, in that we ſee this
mirable order of the Planets, diſpoſed about the Earth in
ces proportionate for producing their effects for our advantage,
to what purpoſe is it to interpoſe afterwards between the ſublime
Orb of Saturn and the ſtarry Sphere, a vaſt vacancy, without any
ſtar that is ſuperfluous, and to no purpoſe? To what end? For
whoſe profit and advantage?
Heaven may in greatneſſe ſurpaſſe our imagination, as alſo that
God might have created it thouſands of times vaſter than now it
is; but we ought not to grant any thing to have been made in
vain, and to be idle in the Univerſe. Now, in that we ſee this
mirable order of the Planets, diſpoſed about the Earth in
ces proportionate for producing their effects for our advantage,
to what purpoſe is it to interpoſe afterwards between the ſublime
Orb of Saturn and the ſtarry Sphere, a vaſt vacancy, without any
ſtar that is ſuperfluous, and to no purpoſe? To what end? For
whoſe profit and advantage?
SALV. Methinks we arrogate too much to our ſelves,
cius, whilſt we will have it, that the onely care of us, is the
æquate work, and bound, beyond which the Divine Wiſdome
and Power doth, or diſpoſeth of nothing. But I will not
ſent, that we ſhould ſo much ſhorten its hand, but deſire that we
may content our ſelves with an aſſurance that God and Nature
are ſo imployed in the governing of humane affairs, that they
could not more apply themſelves thereto, although they had no
other care than onely that of mankind; and this, I think, I am
able to make out by a moſt pertinent and moſt noble example,
taken from the operation of the Suns light, which whileſt it
tracteth theſe vapours, or ſcorcheth that plant, it attracteth, it
ſcorcheth them, as if it had no more to do; yea, in ripening that
bunch of grapes, nay that one ſingle grape, it doth apply it ſelf
ſo, that it could not be more intenſe if the ſum of all its buſineſs
had been the only maturation of that grape. Now if this grape
receiveth all that it is poſſible for it to receive from the Sun, not
ſuffering the leaſt injury by the Suns production of a thouſand
other effects at the ſame time; it would be either envy or folly
to blame that grape, if it ſhould think or wiſh that the Sun would
onely appropriate its rayes to its advantage. I am confident that
nothing is omitted by the Divine Providence, of what concernes
the government of humane affairs; but that there may not be
other things in the Univerſe, that depend upon the ſame infinite
Wiſdome, I cannot, of my ſelf, by what my reaſon holds forth
to me, bring my ſelf to believe. However, if it were not ſo,
yet ſhould I not forbear to believe the reaſons laid before me by
cius, whilſt we will have it, that the onely care of us, is the
æquate work, and bound, beyond which the Divine Wiſdome
and Power doth, or diſpoſeth of nothing. But I will not
ſent, that we ſhould ſo much ſhorten its hand, but deſire that we
may content our ſelves with an aſſurance that God and Nature
are ſo imployed in the governing of humane affairs, that they
could not more apply themſelves thereto, although they had no
other care than onely that of mankind; and this, I think, I am
able to make out by a moſt pertinent and moſt noble example,
taken from the operation of the Suns light, which whileſt it
tracteth theſe vapours, or ſcorcheth that plant, it attracteth, it
ſcorcheth them, as if it had no more to do; yea, in ripening that
bunch of grapes, nay that one ſingle grape, it doth apply it ſelf
ſo, that it could not be more intenſe if the ſum of all its buſineſs
had been the only maturation of that grape. Now if this grape
receiveth all that it is poſſible for it to receive from the Sun, not
ſuffering the leaſt injury by the Suns production of a thouſand
other effects at the ſame time; it would be either envy or folly
to blame that grape, if it ſhould think or wiſh that the Sun would
onely appropriate its rayes to its advantage. I am confident that
nothing is omitted by the Divine Providence, of what concernes
the government of humane affairs; but that there may not be
other things in the Univerſe, that depend upon the ſame infinite
Wiſdome, I cannot, of my ſelf, by what my reaſon holds forth
to me, bring my ſelf to believe. However, if it were not ſo,
yet ſhould I not forbear to believe the reaſons laid before me by