The book of nature translated and epitomiz'd. By George Sikes.

CHAP. I.

Four degrees of created beings.

THere are four generall de∣grees of creatures, by which as four distinct rounds in the ladder of created nature, man may ascend to the right knowledg of himself and of God. There was no other generall and visible book for mankind to read the mind of God in, and their duty towards him, for the first 2513. yeers of the world. Then began the book of the holy Scriptures to be written by Moses, which was finished by John, about the yeer 4100. The former volume of it was peculiarly committed to the jews. To them perteined the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises. Other nations took little notice of it, till the promised Messiah came in the flesh, and brake down the mid∣dle wall of partition between them and the jews; on which, the holy Oracles became common to all the world. But this book, though it do more per∣fectly, excellently, and fully declare the mind of God, as to the duty and concerns of man, then the book of nature, yet doth it no wayes rescind, obli∣terate, or invalidate it. That book is yet in being, and doth by the various voices and lines thereof,

administer the same significant instruction unto man, as from the beginning. And hereof is he obliged to take notice, even by the Scriptures of truth, as may appear by the two places thereof, quoted in the title-page, with others, which, for brevity, I refer to the reader's enquiry.

• 1. The first generall degree, or lowest rank of creatures, comprehend's all those things that have being only, not life, sense, or understanding.
• 2. The 2^d comprehend's all such things as have being and life only, not sense nor understanding.
• 3. The third comprehend's all those creatures that have being, life, and sense, but not reason or understanding.
• 4. The fourth comprehend's only those crea∣tures, that have being, life, sense, and understan∣ding with free-will, which are rationall and intel∣lectuall powers.

In the lowest round of this ladder, the first de∣gree of created beings, we find more various spe∣cies or kinds, as also more individualls, then in the second; in the second, more then in the third; in the third, more then in the fourth. There is but one species or nature at all, in the fourth, to wit, humane; and not so many individuals as in any of the former trhee.

• 1. In the first degree, we find abundance of distinct species or natures of things, one above another, in dignity; the four elements, all inani∣mate compounds, the visible heavens with the fur∣niture

• thereof, Sun, Moon, and Stars. Water ex∣cells the earth, and is scituated above it. Air ex∣cells water in dignity and scituation. Fire excells air. The celestial orbes with their furniture, ex∣cell them all, The glory of the celestial bodies, it one: the glory of the terrestrial, another. There is one glory of the Sun; another, of the Moon; another, of the Stars. And one Star differeth from or excelleth another Star, in glory. There are also many kinds or species of metalls and mineralls generated under the earth, very different in worth and excellency, as Gold, Silver, copper, tinn, ledd; brimstone, alume, &c. There are also divers sorts of precious stones, dif∣ferent in worth, as Diamonds, Rubies, Saphirs, and the rest; amongst which, the Diamond has the pre-eminence. Many other kinds of things there are in the first degree, of different natures from each other; together with all sorts of artifici∣all things, which agree in this, that they have being only, not life, sense, nor understanding.
• 2. In the second degree, are all trees and plants or herbs. Of both sorts there are many species, distinguish'd from and surmounting one another in their different properties, qualities, and useful∣ness. They draw nourishment from the earth, whereby they do grow, bring forth fruit and seed for the use of man, as also for the multiplying of themselvs.
• 3. In the third degree are conteined all variety of creatures that have being, life, and sense, but

• not reason. Sense here is comprehensive of what∣soever is found in meer animals, birds, beasts, fi∣shes, and creeping things, over and beyond what is to be found in any things of the second rank, to wit, plants and trees.
• 4. In the fourth round of nature's ladder, we find but one species or nature only; man's. In man is summ'd up and put together whatever is found in the other three degrees, to wit, being, life, and sense, advanc'd into a union with reason or under∣standing and free-will. This nature is lord of the other three, and ought to own no other lord over it, but God himself.

These four degrees of things, well considered (of which there can be no doubt, as being evident unto the common reason and experience of man∣kind) we may, by duly comparing and observing of them (as to their agreements with, or differen∣ces from each other) gain great instruction, as to our duty towards God, and advantages therein, both temporall and eternall.