The hills and mountains were undoubtedly raised to serve many ufeful and noble purposes in the creation: But these uses might not, in its first form and ftate, be wanted. The mountains would not be wanted in a temperate state of the air, to skreen and keep off the cold, and nipping blafts of the northern and eastern winds; which is one of the uses affigned for them at prefent in many countries. Another principal ufe is, that the long ridges and chains of lofty mountains, being obferved generally to run eaft and weft, in the three continents of Europe, Afia, and Africa, at prefent serve to stop the evagation of the vapours towards the poles; without which impediments, they would all run from the hot countries, and leave them without rain to refresh them; which they now enjoy in great plenty, at certain feasons of the year, from the mountains condensing the vapours, and turning them into rain; and by that means, giving origin to fprings and rivers; whereby the regions of the torrid zone become habitable.

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Now

Now this is the very cafe before us: Neither thofe, nor any other countries, had any rain in the primitive earth; the use of it, as we have feen, being fupplied another way; and the warm exhalations of the now torrid zone, meeting with no mountains to obftruct their paffage towards the polar regions, were at liberty to diffuse a genial heat to fuch climates as moft wanted it; and to communicate a due temperature of air and weather around the globe *.

This fuggefts another inference, which may be drawn from the earth's being, in its firft ftate, without rain. If there was no rain, there was of course no froft, or fnow; fnow being no more than frozen or congealed rain: Nor probably were there any intenfe colds, nor boisterous winds and tempefts; for the generating of all which, the hills and mountains are adapted, and now contribute to.

But this reasoning is not applicable to the great continent of America, the mountains of which run north and fouth. Providence hath provided for the falubrity of thofe climates in another manner.

Nor,

Nor, on the other hand, were there probably any immoderate heats of weather, or scorching sultry regions, nor any inclemency of season, or climate; but a constant calmness, and perpetual ferenity of weather, reigned throughout all parts of the earth.

This we may, upon good grounds, conclude was at least the ftate of paradise. The nakedness of the first pair was not only a token of their perfect innocence and fimplicity; but was moreover a proof of the thorough mildness and warmth of the air; as they required no cloathing to defend them from it; which otherwise would undoubtedly have been originally provided for them; as was done afterwards, when there came to be a neceffity for it.

It seems to be but what is confonant to reason, and to our natural notions of the fitnefs of things; that innocent creatures, newly brought into existence, by the self-moving goodness of the great Creator, fhould taste of his benignity likewife, in providing E 3 fuitably

fuitably for their fupports, in the life he had conferred upon them; with defign undoubtedly to make them happy in it-That to this end, they fhould breath in a pure atmosphere; the air ferene; the feafons temperate; and the fruits and juices of the earth, wholefome for their nourish

ment.

This is no more than what is agreeable to our notions of the divine attributes. It is indeed no more than is fuitable to the defcription, which is given us of the paradifiacal state; and what feems neceflary for the fupport of creatures, calculated for a great longevity, if not for perpetuity, in the state they were placed in, on condition they behaved well in it.

CHAP.

OR THE STATE OF THE EARTH

AFTER THE FALL.

f

T

a very

HE face of nature, instead of that chearful look which every thing appeared with, muft have now worn a dismal aspect; and have been much affected by this catastrophe, and the whole earth muft have greatly fuffered on account of it, It may feem ftrange, that when the Almighty had fignified his approbation of all his works in terms of fuch complacency, he fhould fo foon make any confiderable alterations in it; and that, not for the better, but the worfe. It may appear no lefs ftrange, that Adam's tranfgreffion fhould affect all the world about him. But the history acquaints

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