238 acts A:``n RECOVERY, &C. QUEST. I.Is Man in his present Circumstances such a Crea- ture as he came out of the hands of Godhis Creator? Or, is he depraved and ruined by some Universal Degeneracy of his Nature? I hope we may derive some evident and complete answer to this enquiry from the following considerations I. This earth, which was designed for the habitation of man, carries with it some evident tokens of ruin and desolation, and does not seem to be ordained, in its present form and circunt» stances, for the habitation of innocent beings; butis more appa- rently fitted for the dwelling place of creatures who are degene- rate and fallen from God. It is granted, that the beauty and order of this lower world, even in its present constitution, and the wonderful texture, composition and harmony of the several parts of it, both in air, earth and sea, are most happily suited to the various purposes of that almighty Being who made it : They give a constant and illustrious display of the power, wisdom and goodness of their Creator. Yet it must be confessed also, there are some glaring and uncontested proofs of the terrors of his justice, and the executions ofhis vengeanceboth past and future. Is not the form or shape of our earth, in the present divisions and boundaries of seas and shores, continents and islands, very rude and irregular, abrupt and horrid? Does it look like the regular and beautiful product of a God of wisdom and order? Survey a map of the world, and say, does the form of it strike our eyes with any natural beauty or harmony ? Has it the appear- ance of a lovely and well adjusted piece of workmanship ? Or rather, does it not bear strongly on our sight the ideas of ruin and confusion? Travel over the countries of this globe, or -visit some of thewilder parts of our own British islands, and make just remarks on them all. What various appearances of a ruined world ? What vast broken mountains hang frightfully over the heads of travellers? What stupendous cliffs and promontories rise high and hideous to behold ? What dreadful precipices, which make our nature giddy to look down, and are ready to betray our feet into downtals and destructions? What immense extents of waste and barren ground in some countries? What hideous: and unpassable deserts ? What broad and faithless morasses, whichare made at once bothdeaths and graves tó travellers who venture upon them ? What huge ruinous caverns of frightful aspect, deep and wide, big enough to bury whole cities ? Notwithstanding all these appearances of ruin and desola- lation on this earth, yet it is granted, that the great God may have made use of these ragged cliffs and promontories, these dismal caverns, deserts and morasses, &c. to serve various pur- poses of his providence for the good of mankind, while they dwell here, áá well as sometimes for. their punishment. His
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