244 RUIN AND RECOVERY, &C. due their power, nor avoid their plunder, we may certainly in. fer, that we are not such favourites of heaven as Godat first had made us, while we are exposed to the endless attacks, insults and triumphs of such little despicable insects, and yet deadly and destructive enemies. The troublesome and pernicious tribes of animal natureboth of larger and lesser size, which are fellow-commoners with us upon this great globe, together with our impotenceto prevent or escape their mischiefs, is a sufficient proof that weare not sinless creatures, nor in the full favour and love of the God that made us, and that he has quartered his armies, his legions among us, as princes do in a rebellious province. Perhaps it will be replied here, that these mis- chiefs of the animal and vegetable world, these poisonous plants and vipers, and savage beasts of prey may be permitted to dwell in our earth, for the trial of its inhabitants in a state of probation, even thoùgh they were innocent; especially since it is-certain that their fatal effects do sometimes now fall upon good-and pious men, during their situation here, which is a state of trial : But God can reward the sufferers in a future state, and thus absolve or vindicate his justice, wisdom and goodness in permitting them to be thus exposed in the present life. To this I answer two ways, 1. There is a great difference to be made between innocent . creatures in a state of probation, and sinful degenerate creatures in the same state. These mischievous and painful events, which now fall upon sinful mankind, would have been all righ- teous whether they had been in a state of trial or no; but most of them plainly declare the punishing hand of God, as well as the probation of creatures, and therefore it supposes them not to be innocent. Whereas, if these plagues had abound- ed in a world of innocence, many of the wise and holy inhabi- tants who had suffered these mischiefs, even iftheywere sent for their trial, would scarcely have found sufficient reason to rejoice in their situation, and to give thanks to their Maker, as every innocent being would surely have occasion and reason to do. Serpents and bears, stings and poisons are terrible trials for pure innocents. 2. The state of probation for innocent creatures, would not have included death in it, a violent and bloody, or a lingering and painful death, such as flows from some of these plagues upon the earth. The destruction of our nature, our dying and re- turning to dust, is supposed by the ancient Hebrew historian to be a curse of God for the sin of man : And when once life is forfeited among the whole race of mankind, and they are all subject and devoted to death by some universal degeneracy, then a painful death may properly"become a part of the further trial of such creatures who are to rise again : And any who are CL
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