that that Seed which had been fowed after the common manner, was green, and that, that had lain in the Salt-Petre Water, much more advanced in those Parts that remained alive; but that most of it was frozen and dead.

From hence I think we may infer, that in order to make Plants grow and flourish, not only Salt-Petre, but likewife fomething that proceeds from the Sun is requifite thereto; to the end, that by their reciprocal Action, they may concur in the producing thefe Effects upon the Earth, and the Plants thereof.

Befides, that this feems to be further confirmed by a common Experiment observed by fome Husbandmen, namely, that when in the Month of March, and the beginning of April, North and North-easterly Winds blow a long while together; and thereupon it is apprehended, that they fhall have a bad Year, and that the Grafs by reason of the cold does not fpring up, there is oftentimes a very good Crop, and even an early Hay-Harveft; for fome Years I obferved it, and found it always to be true, efpecially in the Year 1712, when by reafon of the frequent Northerly Winds in the Spring, fomebody faid to me, that he feared it would be a bad Season, and that Hay would be fcarce ; to which I answer'd, that I had often found the contrary, and that if it were but followed with a good warm Sunfhine, the Grafs would perhaps be early ripe, and there would be a great quantity of Hay, which likewife happen'd

Now they who allow the Probability of what has been advanced, may eafily infer the Caufe from thence, namely, that the frequent Northerly Winds might bring great Quantities of Salt-Petre to us, which being fucceeded by the Southerly

Winds, and the Solar Matter that accompanies them, a great Quantity of thofe Particles which act upon each other, and contribute to Fertility, is then found in our Air; tho' on the other fide it may fo happen, that the Northerly Winds shall be fo ftrong and lafting, and the Southerly fo weak, and the warm Weather so little, that the Aërial Salt-Petre may be as prejudicial to the Fruits of the Earth, by reafon of its too great Plenty, as the common Salt-Petre (the Experiment whereof is mentioned above) which being used in too great a Quantity, killed the Plants. With this agrees the common Proverb of the Husbandmen, confirmed by numerous Experiments, that a Peck of March Duft is worth a King's Ranfom. That Month being commonly dry with us when the North Winds blow, by which the Air is render'd fo heavy, that the watry Vapours will remain floating in them, and cannot defcend in Rain, which with Southerly Winds are wont to come plentifully down at the fame Seafon.

SECT. XV. Convictions from the foregoing Obfer

vations.

I HAVE dwelt the longer upon this Matter, not only because the abovementioned Experiments require to be expreffed and propofed with fome Ĉlearnefs in their Circumstances; but particularly in order to ftir up others that have Inclination and Conveniences, to inquire more narrowly what it is properly that renders Lands fruitful, and makes Plants grow more freely; to the end that they may either corroborate what we have here faid, by farther Experiments; or otherwife, if they find that the Works of Nature exert themselves after a different manner, they may communicate their Lights to the World; fince VOL. III. Rrr

there

there still seems to be wanting numbers of Experiments: For Inftance, how to order fuch an Earth, or fuch Seeds, fo as that in a few Hours a Sallad, or other Plants fit for use, may be produced; or again, that each Seed may at the fame time put forth all the Seed Plants contained in it, and make them grow equally, by which means the Fruits ef the Earth might be multiplied; and fuch like Experiments. At least every one will readily agree, that this is a matter, the Inquiry into which may not only much more illuftrate our Knowledge of Nature, but likewise be very beneficial to Mankind.

In the mean while, fince nobody can be ignorant that the Air is the Magazine or Treafury, from whence that which renders the Earth fruitful is communicated thereto, as the frequent plowing and turning up the Earth, and expofing it to the Air, has fhewn experimentally for many Ages; can it be thought that it comes to pass without a wife Providence, that there has never been any Want in the Air, of fuch Particles as are fit for that purpofe? That the Waters of Rain, Dew, and Snow, falling down through the Air, are impregnated therewith, in order to carry fuch Particles along with them, and to infinuate them deep enough into the Earth, fo às to fertilize the fame, and to difpofe it to furnifh all living Creatures with Food and Refreshment?

CONTE M

CONTEMPLATION XXVIII.

Of the Poffibility of the RESURRECTION.

SECT. I. The Objection of the Saducees anfwer'd by our Saviour, Matt. xxij. v. 29.

SHOULD here have made an end of contemplating the Laws of Nature, because an Inquiry into all thofe, to which the Study of Nature, and particularly Chymiftry, leads us, would take up too much of our time here: But fince it may feem to contribute very much towards the illuftrating a Matter which is of great Importance, I fhall attempt to fet that matter likewife in fome Light, tho' it is feldom handled upon Natural Principles. To enter therefore upon it:

It is well known, that among thofe unhappy Perfons who deny the Go D that made them, there be many who are wont not only frequently to ridicule the Confeffion of Chriftians about a Re furrection, but likewife to oppose the fame after all imaginable Ways; and that others, who feem to treat this matter with more Reafon and Decency, are likewife accustomed to form fome Objections against it, by which they think they do fufficiently prove the Impoffibility of a Refur

rection.

I know very well, that in order to cut off all Difficulties and Cavillings raised against this Article of our Creed, by those who acknowledge a God, and believe the Holy Scriptures, nothing can be more ftrongly returned, than what our Lord Rrr 2

was

was pleased to answer to the Saducees who deny'd a Refurrection: Te do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the Power of God, Matt. xxij. v. 29. That is to fay, the Word which you admit to be Divine, fays fo; and no body ought to doubt, whether the Power of God be great enough to perform what he has faid.

SECT. II. It is not a greater Miracle to Raife a Body, than to Create it.

BUT fince we have here to do with a fort of deplorable Difputers, who have no Reverence either for God or the Scriptures, and who think that they are able to prove from their Philofophy, the Improbability, if not the Impoffibility thereof; I have been of Opinion, that altho' the Certainty of a future Resurrection can only be deduced from the Word of that God who never deceives any one, and that the Manner of it must likewife be referred to his Wonder-working Power; yet that it might be perhaps ufeful to fome, to fhew here, that all the Objections which they can raise against it, are far from having any Strength in them: But on the contrary, that the few as yet known Laws of Nature and Appearances are more than fufficient to answer them all, at least all that have ever occurred to me, and to put the Poffibility of the Refurrection, the Proof of which is our prefent View only, quite out of doubt.

To begin therefore: Let one that denies or doubts of the Refurrection, tell us whether he is not forced to allow, that all the Food of which his Body confifts, as well as the Bodies of all his Progenitors, does proceed from the Earth, or rather is nothing more than a metamorphofed, or transformed Earth: (If he denies this, let him read what we have faid thereupon in the first and fol