Page:A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More.djvu/121

Rh the World. 15. The outrageous Mistake of Nature in implanting this Property of Religion in Man, if there be no God. 16. The necessary cause of Disorder in Man's nature. 17. The exquisite fitness that there should be such a Creature as Man upon Earth. 18. That the whole Creation and the several parts thereof are an undeniable Demonstration that there is a God.

UT we needed not to have rambled so far out into the Works of Nature, to seek out Arguments to prove a God, we being so plentifully furnish'd with that at home which we took the pains to seek for abroad. For there can be no more ample testimony of a God and Providence then the frame and structure of our own Bodies. The admirable Artifice whereof Galen, though a mere Naturalist, was so taken with, that he could not but adjudge the honour of a Hymn to the wise Creator of it. The contrivance of the whole and every particular is so evident an argument of exquisite skill in the Maker, that if I should pursue all that suits to my purpose it would amount to an intire Volume. I shall therefore onely hint at some few things, leaving the rest to be supply'd by Anatomists. And I think there is no man that has any skill in that Art, but will confess, the more diligently and accurately the Frame of our Body is examined, it is found the more exquisitely conformable to our Reason, Judgement and Desire. So that supposing the same matter that our Bodies are made of, if it had been in our own power to have made our selves, we should have fram'd our selves no otherwise then we are.

2. To instance in some particular. As in our Eyes, the number, the situation, the fabrick of them is such that we can excogitate nothing to be added thereto, or to be altered, either for their Beauty, Safety or Usefulness. But as for their Beauty, I will leave it rather to the delicate wit and pen of Poets and amorous persons, then venture upon so tender and nice a Subject with my severer style: I will onely note how safely they are guarded, and fitly framed out for the use they are intended. The Brow and the Nose saves them from harder strokes: but such a curious part as the Eye being necessarily liable to mischief from smaller matters, the sweat of the Forehead is fenced off by those two wreaths of hair which we call the Eye-brows, and the Eye-lids are fortifi'd with little stiff bristles, as with Palisadoes, against the assault of Flies and Gnats, and such like bold Animalcula. besides, the upper-lid presently claps down, and is as good a fence as a Portcullis against the importunity of the Enemy: which is done also every night, whether there be any present assault or no; as if Nature kept garrison in this Acropolis of Man's body, the Head, and look'd that such laws should be duly observ'd as were most for his safety.

3. And now for the Use of the Eye, which is Sight, it is evident that this Organ is so exquisitely framed for that purpose, that not the least curiosity can be added. For, first, the Humour and Tunicles are purely Transparent, to let in Light and Colours unfoul'd and unsophisticated by any inward tincture. And then again, the parts of the Eye are made Convex, that there might be a direction of many rayes coming from one Rh