1 A forrow which would naturally arise from a reflection on the fad change he found in his diet; being more unfavoury, and inferior in quality, to that which before he had been accustomed to; befides that it fubjected him to much wearifome toil in providing it. Thorns and thistles fhall it bring forth to thee Botanists make frequent discoveries of new plants. Whether there really be any fuch late productions of immediate creation; as the conftant prefervation of the world is a kind of repeated, or continued creation of it, in all its parts-Whether such plants as are called new, have only hitherto escaped notice - Or, whether they have lain concealed in their feeds, ever fince the vegetable world was first brought into being I leave to be difcuffed by those who are more converfant in the fubject. Be that therefore as it may: This we may fafely affirm; That thorns and thistles were. ftrange and scarce at least, till this fentence was paffed; upon which the earth brought them forth fpontaneously; and still conti nues nues to teem with these, and other noxious plants and weeds, in great abundance; and that without any diminution of its strength: Whereas the earth must be dreffed and cultivated, and affifted with manure, and fown with the grain, that is wanted for food, before it will yield it: And notwithstanding all the art and industry of man, and in fpight of all the improvements in husbandry, which of late years especially have been made, and carried to great heights; it foon becomes languid, and heartless, wears out, and is quite exhausted of its fertility: When, on the other hand, if it be but a little neglected, it furprizingly recovers its vigour for the production of weeds; and, without any more ado, prefently returns, to act in fubfervience to its original fentence: Than which there needs no better proof of the reality of the curfe upon the ground *. And of the thiftle * See Nieuwenhyt's Relig. Phil. vol. ii. p. 722., Grotius acquaints us, that one having asked the reafon, why thorns and weeds grew more plentifully tham thistle particularly it is obferved, that its feeds, of which it yields great plenty, I forget how many I have read to have been counted out of one head of a thiftle-thefe: feeds are winged with a down, by which they are carried with the least breath of air far and wide; and by this means they fow themselves all around. Thus, according to the Pfalmift's obfervation, did God make a fruitful land barren, for the wickedness of them that dwelt therein *. That fuch as are reckoned noxious. weeds are made to answer many valuable purposes in the creation-That excellent than corn, was anfwered, Because the earth was the mother of weeds, but the ftep-mother of corn; that is, the one the produced of her own accord; the other, not till the was folicited to it, by man's toil and induftry., Annot, in Luc. viii. 7. The fact is indifputable; but it might have been accounted for in a better manner. The earth, which is the common parent of all vegetables, would not: have been more partial in its production of the noxious than falutary ones, if it had not been perverted from its natural state. * PL. cvii. 34 medicines medicines are extracted out of poisonous plants And the rankeft poifons are rendered highly medicinal-This is but one instance in a thousand of the goodness of the beneficent Creator, in bringing good out of evil; which feems to be an established law, and a favourite maxim in the divine council. And thou shalt eat the herb of the field— A grant of the herbage had been made before*: What need was there for repeating it? It was granted at firft, as a part of Adam's neceffary fuftenance: How comes it now to be enforced upon him by the way of punishment! I cannot account for this any other way, than as follows-Adam, together with the herb bearing feed, had the fruit of the trees likewise affigned him for meat+: This latter grant was renewed, and confirmed to him, upon his being placed in paradife: For this was an advanced * Gen. i. 29. ↑ Ch. ii. 16. ftate ftate, to which he was removed, as an early proof of his Maker's favour towards him. And finding this nurture fo agreeable; so ready, and in such plenty; and likewife fo much preferable to the herb bearing feed, for food; he made no use of this latter, but fed upon fruit alone. But when he was turned out of paradife, he miffed his ufual provifion: He found no fruit-trees planted for him in the place whither he was now removed: Or, fuch as he met with being laid under a curfe, the fruit was become unpleafant and infipid, and afforded no wholefome, nor fufficient nourishment. It was therefore neceffary to betake himfelf to the herb of the field, for food. This was of two forts: 1. wyp the green herb; which at first had been appropriated for the food of cattle, fowls, and reptiles *; the herb bearing feed; that is, all grainbearing, and leguminous plants; from both which kinds he was now constrained to gather and extract his neceffary fufte nance. עשב זרע זרע .2 |