The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

4 The strange variety of creatures set in this visible world, with their most various proprieties: take any room of this house, who can count the number of plants, trees, beasts, or men upon earth? Who can reckon the number of Seas, Rivers, Ponds, Springs, or creatures in them: or count the number of Fowls or Flies in the Air, or Stars in Heaven? And this variety is the more wonderful, if we straightly consider that our God made them all: and that they are all still preserved in their kinds to this day: and that they are made all in such different forms and portraitures, not only one kind from another, but one singular creature from another in the same kind.

4 The strange variety of creatures set in this visible world, with their most various proprieties: take any roome of this house, who can count the number of plants, trees, beasts, or men vpon earth? Who can reckon the number of Seas, Riuers, Ponds, Springs, or creatures in them: or count the number of Foules or Flyes in the Ayre, or Starres in Heauen? And this variety is the more wond•rfull, if wee straightly consider that our God made them all: and that they are all still preserued in their kindes to this day: and that they are made all in such different formes and portraitures, not onely one kinde from another, but one singular creature from another in the same kinde.

5 The marvellous order and relation of the creatures in their kinds and respect one to another, in regard whereof ⟨p. 163⟩the Psalmist magnifies the wisdom of God, Psal. 136. 5. and this order is admirable if we consider the different degrees of creatures, serving one to another in their kinds: as some things God made to have being only, as the Heavens, Elements, Meteors, and Minerals. Some things have being and life also: as the herbs and trees: some things having being, life, and sense also, as the beasts & fowls: some things have being, sense, life & reason also, as men; and these degrees so connected, that the latter includes always the former, & the inferior degrees serve the higher: as the Heavens and Elements adorn & feed the Plants, the Plants feed the Beasts, the Beasts feed and serve men, and men serve God. Again the order is wonderful in the placing of these bodies so, as with unspeakable nearness, each creature fills his place so, as there is no vacuum or emptiness between; and besides, are so set, as though they be divers of them directly contrary one to another, yet are so set, as they destroy not one another, but preserve the whole Frame. I omit many other things for brevities sake.