Piest, Assoc. 3-22-1933

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STATE

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NATURE, &c.

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ANY ingenious Men have made particular Obfervations of the Earth and Elements, of it's Product, and of the Tribes of Creatures, fingle Creatures, and Parts; how the Earth, and the feveral Elements, produce Neceffaries and Conveniencies for Man, and each Animal, &c. how feveral Sorts of Creatures are fitted with Parts, Inftincts, &c. for their Manner of Feeding, Generation, and Growth, &c. and Mr Derham has made a vaft Collection, with VOL. XII. Additions

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Additions, to thofe Obfervations, which affords Matter of Admiration; but has not fhewed how feveral Things, Situation of Things, and Creatures, are ufeful to Man; nor scarce at all mentioned, that any of them are adapted to the Use of Men only in Society, nor fhewed how the Instincts of Brutes are adapted for the Service of Men in Society; nor how the Instincts of Men differ from those of Brutes, nor how these Differences in Inftincts in Men from Brutes are adapted for Society, nor how Society is adapted to anfwer the End of Man's Creation which, if clearly defcribed, would not only afford many great Subjects for Admiration, but for Gratitude and Love to the great Creator and Contriver of that Scheme fo beneficial for Man.

I intend not in this Sketch to enter into Particulars, but to recite in grofs what they have taken Notice of, or what may occur in Course, and make fome Applications which they have not made.

The Atheistical Arguments are founded upon a Suppofition that Things are not difpofed in proper Order for the Good of Man, but that fome are for his Good and fome for his Hurt, and therefore that all Things happened by Chance.

The

The Arguments of the Libertines are founded upon a Suppofition that each Perfon is born free, and left to his own Reafon and Choice, &c.

The Discontents of many well meaning Christians, arife from a falfe Notion; that as we are in a fallen State, God has ordered every Thing to be a Punishment to us, and put us under fevere Laws and hard Conditions of Salvation; to fhew the contrary, that in Truth he has adapted every Thing for our Benefit in the State we are in, and that his Laws are adapted to the Nature of Things, and fuch as we ourselves fhould choose to be governed by, if we understood our own Condition, is the Design of thefe Lines.

God created this Globe and it's Appurtenances, for a Nursery to raise up Plants to be transplanted into his Celeftial Garden, or Paradise above; or for a Colony to breed up and difcipline Subjects for his Imperial City, or Celestial Empire.

God forefaw what Things, and what Quantity, and what Difpofition of each Sort of Things, would be neceffary for the Good of the Race of Men, at the feveral Times, and in their feveral Conditions, during their feveral States; and every Thing that was made, was good, B 2

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any Inconveniency they have been, or will be at, at other Times.

God created the Earth of fuch Magnitude, and compos'd of fuch different Sorts of Matter, difpos'd and plac'd the Parts of those feveral Sorts of Matter, fram'd the Sea of fuch Extent, compos'd of fuch Mixtures of Salt, Waters, &c. made the Outlets like Water-Pipes under. Ground to the several Parts of the Earth, and the Returns in Channels and Rivers above, either at the Creation or in the Flood, and plac'd the whole at fuch Diftances from the Sun, made the Heat and Light of fuch a due Force, and enclos'd it with fuch a due Thickness and Preffure of Atmosphere, gave each Part fuch Motion, fuch Proportion of Gravity, and other Properties, made each Part of fuch Sizes, Figures, &c. to expand, contract, unite, and operate upon other Parts, made the Frofts and Rains diffolve the Surface of the Earth, and prepare it for yielding vegetable Matter; and the Heats raife that Matter, that the whole fhould afford fuch Materials, produce fuch Products; fome for the Ufe of Beafts, Birds, and Infects; fome for the Ufe of Man, and fome for the Ufe of both, as fhould be fit for maintaining,

and