very Earth, in which his Will shall be done as it is in Heaven. For the Vanity and Mifery under which they now groan, was "not the effect of any voluntary Guilt or Tranfgreffion of their own, but was brought

upon them by the Tranfgreffion of our "firft Parents, but under a fure and certain "Hope of Redemption, by the all-fufficient "Merits and Interceffion of our Lord Jefus

Christ, who is their Saviour as well as ours; "when he shall have accomplish'd the Num"ber of his Elect, and begun to establish his "Kingdom: Then fhall the whole vifible "Creation that fell under the Curfe by the Sin "of Man, be restored with the human Na"ture, and with and through him be Parta"kers of the Bleffings and Glories of the "Kingdom of God. At prefent we fee the "whole Creation fubject to Vanity and Death, "from which, like a Woman in Travail, it "labours to be delivered, but has not Strength "to bring forth, nor can hope for Deliverance "till that happy Day when the great Redeem

er fhall restore whatever has been decayed, "fhall create new Heavens and a new Earth, "where Sin and Death can have no place, "where Evil cannot enter, but God fhall be "All-in-All,"

That the Brute-Creation are particularly interested in this great Event, is plainly and fully attefted by many remarkable Prophecies of the Old Teftament. Thus, Ef, xi, 6, 7,

8, 9. fpeaking of the peaceful and glorious Reign of the Meffiah, illuftrates it in a particular manner, by the Harmony that fhall be reftored thro' the whole animal Creation. The Wolf alfo fhall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard fhall lie down with the Kid, and the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling together, and a little Child shall lead them. And the Cow and the Bear fhall feed, their Young-ones fhall lie down together, and the Lion fhall eat fraw like the Ox. And the fucking Child shall play on the Hole of the Afp, and the weaned Child fball put his Hand on the Cockatrice Den: They fball not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain": for the Earth fhall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea. So again, Ch. lxv. 25. The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together, and the Lion fhall eat Straw like the Bullock, and Duft fhall be the Serpent's Meat; they shall not burt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain, faith the Lord. The Prophet Hojea foretels the fame thing, Ch. ii. 18. In that day will I make a Covenant for them with the Beafts of the Field, and with the Fowls of Heaven, and with the Creeping Things of the Ground, who shall lose their Malignity, which was employed to fcourge and punish their rebellious Lord; all the Enmity of the Creatures fhall ceafe; the divided Properties, the difcordant Motions of the Elements fhall be intirely fwallowed up in univerfal Harmony, Peace, and Love. And the Glory of the Lord shall endure

for

for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his Works. Pf. civ. 31.

Pardon me, Madam: The Nature of my Subject has infenfibly drawn me into a greater Length, more ferious Enquiries, and graver Conclufions, than I at firft intended; for which an indifferent Reader would expect an Apology, and which, to any body but yourself, I fhould think myself obliged to offer: But your inquifitive Genius, your rational Head, and benevolent Heart, I truft, will èafily excufe, if you cannot intirely approve a wellmeant Attempt to vindicate the Wisdom of Providence in the Works of the Creation, and refcue fo great a part of God's Creatures from the rude Cenfures of weak and ignorant Pretenders to Philofophy. If I have, in any degree, done juftice to my Subject, if I have given you any Light and Satisfaction in this momentous Question, your Approbation will give me a Pleasure equal to the Regard I have for your Perfon, and the Efteem I have for your Judgment: But, if the worst I fear fhould happen, should you think I have undertaken a defenceless Caufe, or betrayed it by an injudicious Management; fhould you even tell me, I have mistaken the State of the Question, or offered any thing weak or inconclusive in defence of it, even there I fhould humbly hope for your Indulgence, that the Honefty of my Heart may atone for the Weakness of my

Head;

Head; the Goodness of my Intention, for the Defects of my Understanding: for whatever Caufe I may have given you to condemn my Sentiments, or defpife my Judgment, I fhall never give you any to fufpect my Sincerity, when I profefs myself, with the highest Esteem and Regard,

Madam,

Your Faithful and Obedient

Ripon, Nov. 24, 1742.

Humble Servant.

FINI S.