Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1906-07-27
SOME THOUGHTS OF SIR THOMAS
BROWNE ON NATURE AND
GOD.

GOD.
| could never Content my contem.
plation with those general pieces of
wonder, the fluX and rcilux of the
sea, the increase of the Nile. the
conversion of the needle 10 the north:
and have studied TO match and par
allel those I'm the more obvious and
neglected pieces OF Nature which
without farther travel. can do I'm
the cosmography OF myself. We carry
with rs the wonders we seek without
us there Is all Africa aud her prodi-
eies in us. We are that bold and ad
venturous piece OF Nature. which he
that studies wisely lenrns. I'm com
pendium. what others labor at I'm a
divided piece and endless volume.
Thus there are two books whence |
collect my divinity. Besides that
written one OF God, another one al
his servant. Nature, that universal
ana publick manuscript, that lies
expansed unto the eyes OF all Those
that never saw him in the one have
discovered him In the other; this was
scripture and theology of the heath
ems; the natural motion OF the sun
made them more admire him than IT'S
supernatural station did the children
OF Israel The ordinary effects of
Nature wrought more admiration iu
them than i'm the other all his mi
racles. Surely the heathcns knew
better how 10 join and read these
mystical letters than we Christians
who cast more careless eve on these
common hieroglyphics. and disdaln
to suck divinity from the flowers of
Nature.
hold there is general beauty In|
the works OF God. and therefore no
deiornlity in any kind or species Of
creature whatever. cannot tell by
what kind Of logic we call a toad n
bear, or an elephant ugly. they being
created In those outward shapes aud
figures which best express the action
OF their inward forms. and having
passed that general visitation Of God.
who saw that all he had made was
GOOD. That is confOrmable 10 his Will
which nbhors deformity. and rs the
rule Of order aud beauty There Is no
but in mOnstrosity: where
tn Notwithstanding. there Us A Kind Of
beauty. Nature so ingeniously con
irving the irregular parts, AZ thoy
become sometimes more remarkable
than The principal fabrlck. no sneak
yet more narrowly. there was never
anything ugly or misshapen. but the !
chaos; wherein. Notwithstanding IN
speak strictly, there was no dcrorm-
ity because no form. nor was IL vet |
impregnant by the voice of God. Now |
Nature is not az variance with art /
nor art with Nature. they being both !
the servants Of his providence. Art is /
the perfection Of Nature. Were fhe |
world now as it was on the sixth dav. /
there were yet n chaos. Nature hath
made one world, and art another. I'm
brief. a1 things arc artificial. for
Nature is the art Of God
There is q nearer way 10 Heaven
Than Homcr's chain
Let down our golden. everlasting
chain.
Whose strong embrace holds heaven.
and earth and main Popc's
Had. wiz 2G
an easy logick may conjoin II heaven \
and earth in one argument. and
resolve all things TO cod For
though we christen effects by their
most sensible and nearest causes. yof
Is God the true and infauible cause /
of 900. vet doth g. ubdiylde nselfI
Into the particular action Of eycry- .
thing and is that spirit by which .
each singular essence not only sub /
sists. but performs its operation.