Comet very much represents fuch a chaotical Subftance, wherein there is no Order nor Form, nor any ways appears to be a habitable Body, but is capable by an Almighty Fiat of being made fo, having the Laws of Gravitation and Attraction affign'd it; as above-mention'd, and being put into a proper Orbit at a convenient Distance from fome of the glorious Luminaries. But whether this Beginning, in which our Globe had its Original, only refpected it, or was the Beginning of all the material Substances of the whole Univerfe, is too difficult to determine. Now if it refpected the Whole, yet upon Suppofition of this Globe's being a Comet before its Formation into a Planet, Multitudes of the Heavenly Bodies might have had their Formations before this Earth, even at vaftly distant Times; and yet the Creation of Matter was the Beginning of Time; and if this Beginning of Time, mention'd by Mofes, refpects the whole material Creation, the. was all Matter created at the fame Beginning, or at the fame Time when the Matter of this Globe was, and might, at feveral diftant Times, be made habitable Bodies. But after all our Enquiries and Researches into this Matter, we must ftill leave the full Knowledge of these things to a future State; the Mention of them now being only thus ufeful to us, to promote our Afpirations after that Fulness of Knowledge C4 which

which we may expect when relax'd from thefe Fetters of Mortality.

Now that all things at their first Creation came pure out of their Maker's Hands, is an undeniable Truth, both as to the Globes and their Inhabitants; but that God fhould irreversibly determine they should fo continue, without refpect to the Actions of his Creatures, is very unreasonable to fuppofe. 'Tis very reasonable to expect that fuch of his Creatures as were endued with Reafon and Understanding should be made capable of continuing in their original Creation, or elfe 'tis but Mockery to create them pure : But to create them fo that they could not poffibly deviate from it, is putting a Force upon their Obedience; and forced Obedience is no Obedience, nor can fuch Obedience be any ways rewardable: Therefore it was highly reasonable and agreeable with infinite Wisdom to give his Creatures a Freedom of Will, and a Law to keep, with a Power alfo to keep it, and to offer Rewards to Obedience, and to threaten Punishments. to the Difobedience of it. And this is the very fame, as to us, as if God did not forefee our Obedience or Difobedience; for tho' his Foreknowledge cannot be hinder'd, yet it does not neceffitate any of our Actions to come to pafs; but because they will come to pafs, thro' our own Choice and Freeagency, he must neceffarily foresee them :

And

And after he has created all things pure, upon the Obedience of fuch of his Creatures who make it their Choice to obey, they are thence fo firmly establish'd in their right Choice, and made fo far perfect as to be in no Danger of a future Revolt; an Instance whereof we have in the obedient and difobedient Angels.

Thus God has made his reasonable Creatures free Agents, and therefore confequently Man; for whofe fake this Globe was created fruitful, with pure and wholsome Air to breathe in, not in the leaft infected with any noxious or deftructive Particles, but with fuch pure Air as was capable of preferving the Strength from all Decays, and yet liable too to undergo fuch Changes as were confiftent with infinite Wisdom, according to Man's Behaviour here.

Now as God had created our first Parents in a State as above related, and given them a Law, with Condition that if they kept it, both they and their Pofterity should remain happy, and had threaten'd Death upon their Difobedience, we find that as foon as they had violated that Law, a strange Turn of Affairs enfued; for the Earth hereupon, according to Mr. Whifton, receiv'd a diurnal Rotation, having only an annual one before; and by this sudden Change and Shock it was broke into feveral Chafms and Fiffures, from whence iffued fulphurous and infectious Par

ticles

ticles into the Atmosphere of the Air, caufing it to become noxious, and by Degrees to work upon the Vitals of every Animal, and to decay their Natures, and thereby fubject them to Mortality; according to God's Threatning to Man's Difobedience, In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt furely die; that is to fay, become mortal.

Thus by the Commencement of the Earth's diurnal Rotation, we may further obferve, it would neceffarily cause a Rufhing in the Fluidity of the Atmosphere of the Air, it not being capable prefently to accompany the Solidity of the Earth on this fudden Rotation; which rushing Noise seems to be that which Adam calls God's Voice, which he heard in the Garden, and being felf-condemn'd, and imagining that God was coming to execute immediately the Threatning due to his Tranfgreffion, ran to hide himself with his efpoufed Confort; for they (Adam and Eve) heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; or, as it is in the Margin of our 'old Bibles, in the wind of the day, which gives a further Probability to this Hypothefis.

Thus we may see what a mighty Turn the Difobedience of Man brought upon Nature; the Earth, that before was fruitful of itfelf, now becomes barren without Tillage; the Air, that breath'd nothing but the Sweets

of

of Immortality, now becomes noxious and decaying; and the Nourishment of the Fruits of the Earth, thro' the infectious Air, yields not its natural Strength and Support to Na

ture.

And yet after all this, fo much of its Strength remain'd, as afforded the Antediluvians a prodigious Longævity, much fuperior to what we now enjoy: So that God in this Cafe (like a tender Father) seem'd flow to execute the Punishment due to the Tranf greffion, as it were with Design to see whether Forbearance and Mercies would not bring them over to Obedience to that fecond *Covenant made with fallen Man in Paradife: And tho' we are affur'd he forefaw what Effects thefe Mercies and Forbearances would have upon Mankind, yet this Dealing with them leaves them altogether without Excufe; and 'tis agreeable alfo to our own way of reafoning, which is first to try us with Mercies, to fee whether temporal Fayours will not make the Receivers in Love with the Donors of them: And this is the firft Step to Obedience: But behold the Stupidity of fallen Man! Their Health and Strength, their Eafe and Plenty, are turn'd to Senfuality, Luft and Luxury, and all manner of Corruptions of their Ways before God. Their Hearts were wholly fet upon their

The Terms whereof are fully contain'd in the Whole Duty of Man,