I conclude then this Obfervation with the Pfalmift's Words, Pfal. civ. 29, 30. Thou hideft thy Face, all Creatures are troubled; thou takeft away their Breath, they die, and return to their Duft. Thou fendeft forth thy Spirit, they are created; and thou reneweft the Face of the Earth.

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СНАР. XI.

Of the Food of Animals.

HE preceding Reflection of the Pfalmift, mindeth me of another Thing in common to Animals, that pertinently falleth next under Confideration, which is the Appointment of Food, men→

Robert Honywood, of Charing in Kent, Efq; She died in the ninety third Year of her Age, in May 1620. She had fixteen Children of her own Body, feven Sons and nine Daughters; of which one had no Iffue, three died young, and the youngest was flain at Newport Battle, June 20. 1000. Her Grand-Children in the second Generation, were one hundred and fourteen; in the third two hundred and twenty eight; and nine in the fourth Generation. So that he could fay the fame that the Diftick doth, made of one of the Dabburg's Family of Bafil:

Rife up Daughter, and go to thy Daughter, for her Daughters

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Daughter hath a Daughter. Mrs. Honywood was a very pious Woman, afflicted, in her declining Age, with Despair, in fome measure; concerning which, fome Divines once difcourfing with her, fhe in a Paffion faid, She was as certainly damned as this Glass is broken, throwing a Venice-Glass against the Ground, which she had then in her Hand. But the Glafs efcaped breaking, as credible Witneffes attefted.

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tioned in Verse 27, 28, of the laft cited Pfalm civ. Thefe [Creatures] wait all upon thee, that thou may'ft give them their Meat in due Seafon. That thou giveft them, they gather; thou openeft thy Hand, they are filled with Good. The fame is again afferted in Pfal. cxlv. 15, 16. The Eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou giveft them their Meat in due Seafon. Thou openeft thy Hand, and fatisfieft the Defire of every living Thing.

What the Pfalmift here afferts, affords us a glorious Scene of the divine Providence and Management. Which, (as I have fhew'd it to concern it felf in other leffer Things;) fo we may prefume doth exert it felf particularly in fo grand an Affair as that of Food, whereby the animal World fubfifts: And this will be manifefted, and the Pfalmift's Obfervations exemplified, from thefe fix following Particulars:

I. From the fubfifting and maintaining fuch a large Number of Animals, throughout all Parts of the World.

II. From the proportionate Quantity of Food to the Eaters.

III. From the Variety of Food fuited to the Variety of Animals: Or the Delight which various Animals have in different Food.

IV. From the peculiar Food which peculiar Places afford to the Creatures fuited to thofe Places.

V. From the admirable and curious Apparatus made for the gathering, preparing, and Digeftion of the Food. And,

VI. and lastly, From the great Sagacity of all Animals, in finding out and providing their Food.

1. It is a great Act of the divine Power and Wisdom, as well as Goodness, to provide Food for fuch a World of Animals (a), as every where

(a) Paftum animantibus largè & copiosè natura eum, qui cuique aptus erat, comparavit. Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. 2. c. 47. ille Deus eft, qui per totum orbem armenta dimifit, qui gregibus ubique paffim vagantibus pabulum praftat. Senec. de Benef. 1. 4. c. 6.

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poffefs the terraqueous Globe; on the dry Land; and in the Sea and Waters; in the torrid and frozen Zones, as well as the temperate. That the temperate Climates, or at least the fertile Valleys, and rich and plentiful Regions of the Earth, fhould afford Subfiftence to many Animals, may appear lefs wonderful perhaps: But that in all other the most likely Places for Supplies fufficient Food fhould be afforded to fuch a prodigious Number, and fo great Variety of Beafts, Birds, Fishes and Infects; is owing to that Being, who hath as wifely adapted their Bodies to their Place and Food, as well as carefully provided Food for their Subfiftence there.

But I fhall leave this Confideration, because it will be illuftrated under the following Points; and proceed,

II. To confider the Adjustment of the Quantity of Food, in Proportion to the Eaters. In all Pla ces there is generally enough; nay, fuch a Sufficiency, as may be ftyled a Plenty; but not fuch a Superfluity, as to wafte and corrupt, and thereby annoy the World. But that which is particularly remarkable here, is, that among the great Variety of Foods, the most useful is the most plentiful, moft univerfal, easiest propagated, and most patient of Weather, and other Injuries. As the herbaceous Eaters, (for Inftance) are many, and devour much; fo the dryland Surface we find every where almost naturally carpeted over with Grafs, and other agreeable wholfome Plants; propagating themselves in a Manner every where, and fcarcely defiroyable by the Weather, the Plough, or any Art. So likewife for Grain, especially fuch as is moft ufeful, how eafily is it cultivated, and what a large Increase doth it produce? Pliny's Example of W heat (b), is a suffici

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(b) Tritico nihil eft fertilius: hoc ei natura tribuit, quoniam to maximè alat hominem; utpote cùm è modio, fi fit aptum

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ent Inftance in this Matter; which (as that curious Heathen obferves) being principally useful to the Support of Man, is eafily propagated, and in great Plenty: And an happy Faculty that is of it, that it can bear either extreams of Heat or Cold, fo as fcarce to refufe any Clime.

III. Another wife Provifion the Creator hath made relating to the Food of Animals, is, that various Animals delight in various Food (c); fome in Grafs and Herbs; fome in Grain and Seeds; fome in Flesh; fome in Infects; fome in this (d), fome in that; fome more delicate and nice; fome voracious and catching at any Thing. If all delighted in, or fubfifted only with one Sort of Food, there would not be fufficient for all; but every Variety chufing various Food, and perhaps abhorring that which others like, is a great and wife Means that every Kind hath enough, and oftentimes fomewhat to spare.

It deferves to be reckoned as an Act of the divine Appointment, that what is wholesome Food

folum -150 modii reddantur. Mifit D. Augufto procuratorex uno grano (vix credibile dictu) 400 paucis minùs gere mina. Mifit Neroni fimiliter 340 ftipulas ex uno grano. Plin. Nat. Hift. 1. 18. c. 10.

(c) Sed illa quanta benignitas Natura, quòd tam multa ad vefcendum, tam varia, tam jucunda gignit: neque ea uno tempore anni, ut femper & novitate delectemur & copia. Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. 2. c. 53.

(d) Swammerdam obferves of the Ephemeron Worms, that their Food is Clay, and that they make their Cells of the fame. Upon which occafion he faith of Moths, that eat Wool and Fur, There are two Things very confiderable, 1. That the Cells they make to themselves, wherein they live, and with which (as their House, Tortoife-like) they move from Place to Place, they make of the Matter next at hand. 2. That they feed alfo on the fame, therefore when you find their Cells, or rather Coats or Cafes to be made of yellow, green, blue or black Cloth, you will also find their Dung of the fame Colour. Swammerd. Ephem. vita. Publifhed by Dr. Tyfon, Chap. 3.

to one, is naufeous, and as a Poyfon to another; what is a fweet and delicate Smell and Tafte to one, is fœtid and loathfome to another: By which Means all the Provifions the Globe affords are well difpos'd of. Not only every Creature is well provided for, but a due Confumption is made of thofe Things that otherwife would encumber the World, lie in the Way, corrupt, rot, ftink and annoy, inftead of cherishing and refreshing it. For our most useful Plants, Grain and Fruits, would mould and rot; thofe Beafts, Fowls and Fishes, which are reckoned among the greatest Dainties, would turn to Carrion, and poyfon us: Nay, those Animals which are become Carrion, and many other Things that are noyfome, both on the Dryland, and in the Waters, would be great Annoyances, and breed Difeafes, was it not for the Provifion which the infinite Orderer of the World hath made, by caufing thefe Things to be fweet, pleafant, and wholfome Food to fome Creature or other, in the Place where thofe Things fall: To Dogs, Ravens, and other voracious Animals, for Inftance, on the Earth; and to rapacious Fishes, and other Creatures inhabiting the Waters.

Thus is the World in fome Measure kept sweet and clean, and at the fame Time, divers Species of Animals fupply'd with convenient Food. Which Providence of God, particularly in the Supplies. afforded the Ravens, is divers Times taken Notice of in the Scriptures (e); but whether for the Reafons now hinted, or any other fpecial Reasons, I fhall not enquire. Thus our Saviour, Luke xii. 24. Confider the Ravens; for they neither fow nor reap, which neither have Storehoufe, nor Barn, and God

(e) Job xxxviii, 41. Pfal. cxlvii. 9.

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