•( 109 ) 
or at bcft ad by a llfelefs Ferment, that would always generate new and monftrous 
Forms. Now, fince from natural Light we have difcovered a God of infinite Power 
and Wifdom, whofe Attributes are all immenfurable and infinite, we cannot fuppofe 
his Kingdom, SpiKe, or Matter, lefs than immenfe and eternal : By Eternity, I mean, 
Time, not as meafured by the Courfe of a Planet in any Syftem, but a conftant, con- 
tinued Succeflion of Duration, thatlhall know no End ; by Immenfity, I mean, the 
greatefl: given Qujtntity of Matter, or Space, infinitely multiplied, which infinite Mul- 
tiplication will always fall infinitely fliort of the immenfe Quantity of Matter ; for if 
we caft our Thoughts beyond this lower Syftem, and dive into the endlefs Depths of 
Space, we are utterly loft ; becaufe the Height, Depth, and Extenfion on all Sides, 
flies away infinitely fafter, and more diftant, than the fwifteft and moft extended 
Thought can- follow. As the greateft Part of Matter is to be multiplied with- 
out End, fo is the leaft Part of Matter to be divided infinitely, notwithftanding the 
falfe Dodrine of Atoms, leaft or indivifible Parts of Matter, and the feeming Con- 
tradidion of infinite Numbers contained in finite Space; for God, by his Power, can 
as eafily pierce infinitely into a fmall Thing, as extend his Dominion through the 
wide, immenfe Region. ^ ^ ' 
On this Principle of infinite Number contained in finite Space, I fuppofe, that 
God, by one AO: of his Will and Power, created the firft living and individual Prin- 
ciple of every fingle, generating, created Being, that hath made, or fhall hereafter 
make its Appearance in the World : Thefe living and individual Principles, being 
inclofed one within another infinitely, were placed in the hrft vifible Individuals of 
each Species ; and it is the Work of Time and Generation gradually to bring to 
Light the inclofed and hidden Principles, which, as their Progenitors decay and fall 
off, extend themfeives to their natural, deflinated Sizes, in order to keep up a con- 
flant Succeffion of each Species. The precife Exadfnefs of Size, Colour, Shape, and 
other Conditions of Animals and Plants, which they have retained in all Ages, 
wherein Hiftory hath given us any Account of them, hath induced me to believe, 
that all the Individuals of each Species were produced at the fame Time, by one AO 
of the Will and Power of God. The Animalcula difcovered in the Male feminal 
Parts of all living Creatures by the laborious M. Van .Leuwefihoeck^ in his microfco- 
pical Obfervations, and fince his Time confirmed by many others, is, I think, .a 
drong Argument for the above Opinion. 
To proceed, and come a little nearer to my Purpofe : 
If a Man may - be allowed truly to declare what Spirit he is pofTeffed with, as feme 
of our modern Enthufiads have falfly, yet boldly, done ; I mud confefs, that a Zeal 
for expreding natural Things, with the utmod Truth and Precifenefs, hath always 
infpired me, even to fuch a Degree, that I have fometimes been^ afraid it woul4 
rife to fomething like what appears in Bigots, who pretend to Infph'ation ; but as I 
never was a Favourer of fuch enthufiadick, or dedgning Men, lo I was always 
on my Guard, lead my natural Reafoning fhould be corrupted by Flights, of which 
I could give no fatisfad:ory Account to the common Senfe and Underdanding of 
Mankind : But it is Time now to fpeak more dired;ly to the Purpofe of this Book. 
I mud confefs, that fome Part of the Subjed: Matter hath already been treated of by 
others, yet I trud, that the curious and inc^uifitivc Naturallds (when tliey compare 
former 
