626 The Wifdom of God y0l. I If we confider the Mind of Man yet nearer, how many Arguments of Di- vinity are there in it ! That there fhould be at once in our Underftandings di- ftindt comprehenfions of fuch variety of Objeás.; that it fhpuld pals in its Thoughts from Heaven to Earth in a moment, and retain the memory of things paft, and take a profpeet of the future, and look forward às far as Eternity ! Be- caufe we are familiar to our felves, we cannot be ftrange and wonderful to our felves, but the great Miracle of the World is the Mind of Man, and the contri- vance of it an Eminent Inftance of God's Wifdom. z. Confider Man with relation to the Univerfè, and you (hall find the Wifdom of God Both appear, in that all things are made fo ufeful for Man, who wáß de- figñd to be the chief Inhabitant of this vifible World, the Gueft whom God de. fign'd principally to entertain in this Houfe which he built. Not that we are to think, that God hath fo made all things for Man, that he bath not made them at all for himfelf, and poflibly for many other ufes than we can imagine ; for we much over-value our felves, if we think them to be only for us ; and we dimi- nifh the Wifdom of God in reftraining it to one end : but the chief and principal End óf many things is the Ufe and Service of Man ; and in reference to this End, you (hall find that God lath made abundant and wife provifion. Moreparticularly we will confider Man, I. In his natural capacity, as a part of the World. How many things are there in the World for the fervice and pleafure, for the ufe and delight of Man, which, if Man were not in the World, would be of little ufe ? Man is by Na- ture a contemplative Creature, and God has furnifhed him with many Objeéts to exercife his Underflanding upon, which would be fo far ufelefs and loft, if Man were not. Who Ihould obfèrve the Motions of the Stars, and the Courfes of thole Heavenly Bodies, and all the Wonders of Nature ? Who flìould pry into the fecret Virtues of Plants, and other natural things, if there were not in the World, a Creature endowed with Reafon and Underftanding ? Would the Beafts of the Field Rudy Attronomy, or turn Chymifts, and try Experiments in Nature ? What variety of beautiful Plants and Flowers is there ! which can be imagin'd to be of little other ufe but far the Pleafure of Man. And ifMan had not been, they would have loft their grace, and been trod down by the Beafts of the Field, without pity or obfervation; they would not have made them into Garlands and Nofe -gays. How many forts of Fruits are there which grow upon high Trees, out of the reach of Beats ! and indeed they take no Pleafure in them. What would all the vaft Bodies of Trees have ferved for, if Man had not been to build with them, and make Dwellings of them ? Of what ufe would all the Mines of Metal have been, and of Coal; and the Quarries of Stone ? Would the Mole have admired the fine Gold ? Would the Beafts of the F'oref} have built them - felves Palaces, or would they have made. Fires in their Dens ? z. Confider Man in his Geographical Capacity, as I may call it, in relation to his Habitation in this or that Climate or Country. The Wifdom of God hath fo order'd Things, that the Neceffìties of every Country are fupplyed one way or other. Egypt bath no Rains; but the River Kilos overflows it, and makes it fruitful. Under the Line, where .there are exceffìve Heats, everyday there are confiant gales and breezes of cool Wind, to fan and refrelh the fcorched Inhabi- tants. The hotter Countries are furnifhed with Materials for Silk, a light Cloa- thing ; we that are cooler here in England, with Materials for Cloth, a warmer Cloathing ; Rua and Mufcovy, which are extream Cold, are provided with warm Furs, and Skins of Beafis. 3. Confider Man in his capacity of Commerce and Entereourfe. Man is a fociable Creature; betides the advantages of Commerce with remoter Nations, for fupply- ing every Country with thofe Conveniences and Commodities which each doth peculiarly afford. And here the Wifdom of God does plainly appear in difpofing the Sea into feveral parts of the World, for the more fpeedy Commerce and En- tercourfe of feveral Nations. Now if everyCountry had brought forth allCom- modities, that had been needlefs and fuperfluous, becaufe they might have been had
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