20 The Wisdom vf GOD Part I. 



xnmoft Stars we can poffibly dcfcry, than thofe 

 i)e diftant from the Earth we live upon. This 

 Hypothejh of the Fix'd Stars being fo many Su7iSy 

 &c. feems more agreeable to the -Divine Great- 

 nefs and Magnificence. But that which in- 

 duces me much to doubt of the Magnitude of 

 the Univerfe, and immenfe Diftance of the Fixd 

 StarSy is the ftupendous P/j^nome?ia of Comets^ 

 their fudden Accefilon, or Appearance in full 

 Magnitude, the Length of their Tails, and Swift- 

 nefs of their Motion, and gradual Diminution 

 of Bulk and Motion, 'till at laft they difap- 

 pear. That the Univerfe is indefinitely ex- 

 tended, des Cartes^ upon a falfe Ground, (that 

 the formal Ratio of a Body was nothing but 

 Extenfion into Length, Breadth, and Profun- 

 dity, or having partes extra partes^ and that 

 Body and Space were fynonymous Terms) af- 

 ferted ; it may as well be limited this Way, 

 as in the old HypothefSy which places the Fix'd 

 Stars in the fame Spherical Superficies ; according 

 to which (old Hypothefis) they may alfo be de- 

 monftrated by the fame Mediums to be innu- 

 merable, only inftead of their Diftance fubfti- 

 tuting their Smalnefs for the Reafon of their Invi- 

 fibility. 



But leaving the Ccelefiial Bodies, I come 

 now to the T^errefliial ; which are either inani- 

 mate ^ or aiiimate. The inanimate are the £/^- 

 mejits. Meteors^ and Fojils of all Sorts, at the 

 Number of which laft I cannot give any pro- 

 bable Guefs : But if the Rule, which fome con- 

 fiderate Philofophers deliver, holds good, mz. 

 t how 



