3 o . A TREATISE 



unto; not onely by wild difcourfes,of which huge volumes are 

 ._* ' compofed, but even in the rigorous method of Geometry, Arith- 

 mctick,andAlgepta; in which, an Euclidc, inAp0!lo>tiut> an 

 ArchlmedtSy a DiophaMtw, and their followers, have reached 

 fuch admirable heights, and have wound up fuch vaft bottomes, 

 iometimes Shewing by eftcftSjthat the thing propoftd muft needs 

 be as they have fet downe, and cannot poffibly be any otherwife; 

 otherwhiles, appayingtheunderftanding (which is never truly 

 at reft,till it hath found the caufes of the effects it teeth ) by expo- 

 fing how it commeth to be :fo that the Reader calling to mind, 

 how fuch a thing was taught him before, and now finding ano- 

 ther unexpectedly convinced upon him, eafily feeth that thefe 

 two put together, doe make and force that third to be, where- 

 of hee was before in admiration how it conld be effected : 

 which tvvo wayes ofdifcourfe, are ordinarily knowne by the 

 names of Dcmonftrations; the one called a priori, the other 

 a pofteriori. 



Now if we look into the extent of the deductions out of thefe, 

 We (hall find no end. In the heavens 5 we may perceive Aftrono- 

 " my meafuring whatfoever we can imagine; and ordering thofe 

 glorious lights, which our Creator hath hanged out for us; and 

 (hewing them their wayes, an^i pricking ctot their paths, and 

 prefcribing them ( for as many ages as he pldafeth before hand) 

 the various motfons they may notfwarve from irTthe leaft cir- 

 cumftancc. Nor want there fublime foules, that tell us what me- 

 tall they are made of,what figures they have, upon what pillars 

 they are fixed , and upon what gimals they move and performe 

 their various perious : witnefTe that excellent and admirable 

 Dialo: de worke, I have f o'often mentioned in my former Treatifc. If we 

 look upon the earth, we (hall meet with thofe, that will tell us 

 how thick it is, and how much-roome it takethiip: they will 

 (hewushowipenandbeafts are hanged unto it by theheele*; 

 how the water and aire doe cover it ; what force and power Fire 

 hath upon the mall ; what working is in the depths of it j and 

 of what compofition tie maine body of it is framed . where nei- 

 ther our eyes can reach, nor any of our fenfes can fend its meflen- 

 gcrs to gather and bring back any relations of it. Yet are not 

 our Matters contented with all this: the whole world of bodies 

 is not enough to fatisfve them : the knowledge of all corpo- 



reall 



