TO THE READER.

its Completing the sentence from the previous page: "...in the midst of its..." delicate molting; while the air dries its wings, and the water into which it falls smothers it. So it is that this little creature is surrounded, attacked, and killed by the fish, as if by coarse and visible enemies; and by the birds, as if by swift and spiritual Dutch: geestelijke. In this context, it suggests creatures of the air or "spirituous" beings, contrasting with the "coarse" fish of the water. tyrants of the air. Moreover, the very elements primary substances Dutch: hooft-stoffen. This refers to the four classical elements—earth, water, air, and fire—which Swammerdam argues are all naturally hostile to the fragile Mayfly. themselves are armed deadly against it.

No one should be surprised that I use this lowly little creature to draw out such weighty reflections. For since these sorts of animals are the armies of God Swammerdam often viewed the vast numbers of insects as "God's hosts," following a tradition of natural theology where even the smallest creatures prove divine power., and as the wise Solomon directed the sluggard to the small and diligent ant, indeed as God says through the Apostle: That no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and open before His all-seeing eyes. A reference to Hebrews 4:13. Thus it is the bounden duty of all men to ascend to God, the Creator of all things, through His creatures—however lowly they may be—in order to worship His wisdom, goodness, and omnipotence found within them. This we cannot do more fittingly than by regarding these creatures as examples of our own miseries, so that through the humbling and humiliation of the heart, we might prepare ourselves for the possession of everlasting treasures,