284 I'he Wisdom of GOD Part 11. 



another ; for the Mucilage adds to the Lubricity 

 of the Oil, and the Oil preferves the Mucilage 

 from Infpiffation, and contracting the Coniift- 

 ency of a Gelly. Now this Inundlion is ufeful, 

 indeed neceffary, for three Ends chiefly. 



1. For the facilitating of Motion. For tho' 

 the Ends of the Bones are very fmooth, yet were 

 they dry they could not with that Readinefs and 

 Eafe, nay, not without great Difficulty, yield to 

 and obey the Plucks and Attraftions of the mo- 

 tory Mufcles ; as we fee Clocks and Jacks, tho' 

 the Screws and Teeth of the Wheels and Nuts 

 be never fo fmooth and polilh'd, yet if they be 

 not oil'd will hardly move, tho' you clog them 

 with never fo much Weight ; but if you apply 

 but a little Oil, they prefently whirl about very 

 fwiftly with the tenth Part of the Force. 



2. For preferving the Ends of the Bones from 

 an Incalefcency, which they, being hard and fo- 

 lid Bodies, would necelTarily contradt from a 

 fwift and long continuing Motion 5 fuch as that 

 of running, or mowing, or threfhing, orfawing, 

 and the like, if they afe immediately touch'd and 

 rubb'd againft one another with that Force they 

 muft needs do, efpecially in running, the whole 

 Weight of the Body bearing upon the Joints of 

 the Thighs and Knees. So we fee in the Wheels 

 of Waggons or Coaches, the Hollows of the 

 Naves, by their fwift Rotations on the Ends of 

 the Axle-trees, produce a Heat, fometimes fo in- 



tenfe 



