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to what we can attain, fuffer'd themselves. to be dazzled by their own Grandeur. As exalted as they were, the Depth of the Divine Nature was always an incomprehenfible Abyss to them. A Power that gives Being to what did not before exift, was above the Pitch of their Ideas. Perhaps they might think they held their Existence not from fuch a Power, but from an eternal Fatality. The weak Un. derstanding of a Spinofa dared to indulge itfelf in fuch Conjectures as thefe. A perfect Submiffion to a Being, to whose Will they were not at all obliged, feem'd too great a Subjection to them. God did not think fit to destroy them by Annihilation, he chofe rather to let them live, that he might the longer confound all their pretended Power, and pretended Subtlety Mr Pope tells us, ver. 123. that afpiring to be equal to the Divinity, Angels fell.

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GOD created Man, and united with an Animal Body, a Soul of a much fuperior Order. He placed this Creature in a delightful Abode, which nothing was to alter, he put the Earth, and all that it faftains, in fubjection to him. But it was

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just to demand from Man, a Creature, who held all from God, and whom God had put in Poffeffion of fo many Riches; It was juft, I fay, to demand, from this happy Creature, a Homage which shou'd be an Acknowledgment of his Dependance. The Goodnefs of God confin'd this Homage to the abftaining from the Fruit of one fingle Tree, in order that, by this Abftinence, Man fhou'd acknowledge, that from his Liberality he enjoy'd the Ufe of all the reft. The Devil undertakes to make Man violate this Law, and for this Purpose he addreffes himself to the Woman, who had learnt it not immediately from God, but from her Husband. The Woman but newly created, and who was not even prefent at the Review which God caufed Adam to make of all the Animals, was not furprised to hear one speak like herself. His Vivacity fhewed fomething fingular. The firft Question, which the Serpent made, had nothing fufpicious in it; Yea bath God faid that ye Shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden? The Woman answers him, that this Prohibition is confin'd to one fingle Tree. I

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The Devil feems to think this Prohibition incredible. Wou'd God have created fo beautiful a Fruit, to be mortal? It is not permitted to conceive fo much Oppofition between the infide and outfide of his Works. The Beauty of this Fruit informs you, that you did not rightly understand your Mafter's Words, and the Name alone, which he has given to this Tree, ought to be fufficient to remove your Error. You will no fooner have eaten of it, but your Knowledge will be enlarged. From thefe Principles, not well enough examin'd, the Woman draws too hafty a Conclufion; a Haftinefs which we fill imitate in all our Errors. She eats this Fruit, and receives no Prejudice from it. This helps to deceive her Husband: He fufpects, in hisTurn, that he did not rightly understand the Senfe of the divine Command; the Example of a Being, whom God had given him to compleat his Happinefs, had a very great Influence on him.

ADAM and Eve were created in Innocence; their Mind was without Prejudice, and their Heart without bad Inclinations; but their Understanding was bounded,

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they had not yet had Time to enlarge it by Exercife. Their Fault was followed by Fear: They apprehended that they had acted in this important Affair with too much Precipitation, as they really had. They were feiz'd with Confufion, and this Confufion was increased by the Prefence of God, Not being able to juftify themfelves they had recourfe to Excufes. The Caufe of this Ill was thrown upon the Serpent, whofe Miniftry they were ignorant that this Devil had made ufe of, of whom too 'tis probable they had not yet any Knowledge. Adam and Eve deferv'd immediate Death, however the Devil was far enough from having that Satisfaction: God prolonged their Life, and continued his Design of making them the Origin of Mankind.

To put them in remembrance of their Fault, the Earth became a lefs pleasant Abode, less fertile, lefs regular in its Productions, and lefs faithful in anfwering the Induftry and Prayers of Man. Men then have had the Enjoyment of Life, but this Life has from time to time been expofed to Danger, and croffed by Calamities. All this ferves

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ferves to put them in Mind that they are Sinners, that they deserve Chaftifement, and that they ought to use their earnest Endeavours to grow better. This is the natural Voice of thofe Ills that God fends upon the Earth, while on the other hand the Bleffings, which God does not ceafe to dif fufe in an abundant Manner, declare to them a merciful Mafter, who invites them to be grateful, and claims their Obedience, in order to reward them.

I found my felf obliged to enlarge a little upon this Article; and now it will be easy to answer the Objection that Mr Pope either proposes himself, or puts in the Mouth of thofe to whom he lends his Verses.

If the great End be human Happiness,
Then Nature deviates; and can Man do less?
Verse 145.

Ir is easy to answer, that all Nature does not continually concur in procuring Good for Men, because they are Sinners; and it is even neceffary they fhould be chaftifed, either because they deserve to be punish'd, or that Chaftisement may reform both those who feel it themselves, and those

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