erstood a great part of Astronomy. Besides, he
apprehended that their Motions were in different Spheres, all which were
comprehended in another which was above them all, and which turn'd about
all the rest in the space of a Day and a Night. But it were too tedious
to explain particularly how he advanc'd in this Science; besides, 'tis
taught in other Books; and what we have already said, is as much as is
requisite for our present purpose.

Sec. 53. When he had attain'd to this degree of Knowledge, he found that
the whole Orb of the Heavens, and whatsoever was contained in it, was as
one Thing compacted and join'd together; and that all those Bodies which
he us'd to consider before as Earth, Water, Air, Plants, Animals and the
like, were all of them so contain'd in it, as never to go out of its
Bounds: And that the whole was like One Animal, in which the Luminaries
represented the Senses; The Spheres so join'd and compacted together,
answer'd to the Limbs; and the Sublunary World, to the Belly, in which
the Excrements and Humors are contain'd, and which oftentimes breeds
Animals, as the Greater World.

Sec. 54. Now when it appear'd to him, that the whole World was only One
Substance, depending upon a Voluntary Agent, and he had united all the
Parts of it, by the same way of thinking which he had before made use of
in considering the Sublunary World; he proposed to his Consideration the
World in General, and debated with himself, whether it did exist in
_Time_,after it had been; and came to _Be_, out of nothing; or whether
it had been from Eternity, without any Privation preceeding it.
Concerning this Matter, he had very many and great Doubts; so that
neither of these two Opinions did prevail over the other. For when he
propos'd to himself the Belief of its Eternity, there arose a great many
Objections in his Mind; because he thought that the Notion of Infinite
Existence was press'd with no less Difficulties, than that of Infinite
Extension: And that such a Being as was not free from Accidents produc'd
anew, must also it self be produc'd anew, because it cannot be said to
be more ancient than those Accidents: And that which cannot exist before
Accidents produc'd in Time, must needs itself be produc'd in Time. Then
on the other hand, when he propos'd to himself the Belief of its being
produc'd a-new, other Objections occur'd to him; for he perceiv'd that
it was impossible to conceive any Notion of its being produc'd a-new,