181 filled with good. The fame is again afferted in Pfal. 145. 15. 16. The Eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou giveft them their Meat in due Seafon. Thou openeft thy Hand, and fatisfieft the defire of every living thing.

What the Pfalmift here afferts, affords us a glo rious Scene of the Divine Providence and Management. Which (as I have fhewed it to concern it felf in other leffer things) fo we may prefume doth exert it felf particularly in fo grand an Affair as that of Food, whereby the Animal World fubfifts. And this will be manifefted, and the Pfalmift's Obfervations exemplified, from these fix following Particulars.

1. From the fubfifting and maintaining such a large Number of Animals throughout all parts of the World.

2. From the proportionate Quantity of Food to the Eaters.

3. From the variety of Food fuited to the variety of Animals: or the delight which various Animals have in different Food.

4. From the peculiar Food which peculiar Pla ces afford to the Creatures fuited to thofe Places. 5. From the admirable and curious Apparatus made for the gathering, preparing, and digestion of the Food. And,

6, and lastly, From the great Sagacity of all Animals, in finding out and providing their Food.

1. It is a great Act of the Divine Power and Wisdom, as well as Goodness, to provide Food for fuch a World of Animals (1), as every where poffefs

(1) Paftum animantibus largè & copiosè natura eum, qui cuique aptus erat comparavit. Cic. de Nat. Deor. I. 2. c. 47. ille Deus eft, - qui per totum orbem armenta dimifit, qui gregibus ubique paffim vagantibus pabulum præftat. Senec. de Benef. 1, 4. c. 6.

N 3

(2) Tritica

poffefs the Terraqueous Globe; on the dry Land, and in the Sea and Waters; in the Torrid and Frozen Zones, as well as the Temperate. That the Temperate Climates, or at leaft the fertile Valleys, and rich and plentiful Regions of the Earth, fhould afford Subfiftence to many Animals, may appear lefs wonderful perhaps. But that in all other the moft unlikely places for Supplies, fufficient Food fhould be afforded to fuch a prodigiaus number, and fo great variety of Beafts, Birds, Fishes and Infects, is owing to that Being, who hath as wifely adapted their Bodies to their Place and Food, as well as carefully provided Food for their Subfiftence there.

But I fhall leave this Confideration, because it will be illuftrated under the following Points; and proceed,

M

2. To confider the adjuftment of the quantity of Food in proportion to the Eaters. In all places there is generally enough, nay fuch a fufficiency,as may be ftiled a Plenty; but not fuch a Superfluity, as to waft and corrupt, and thereby annoy the World. But that which is particularly remarkable here is, that among the great variety of Foods, the moft useful is the most plentiful,moft univerfal, eafieft propagated, and moft patient of Weather, and other Injuries. As the herbaceous Eaters (for inftance) are many, and devour much; fo the Dryland Surface we find every where almost naturally carpeted over with Grafs, and other agreeable wholfome Plants; propagating themselves in a manner every where, and fcarcely deftroyable by the Weather, the Plough, or any Art. So likewise for Grain, especially, fuch as is moft ufeful, how eafily is it cultivated, and what a large Increase doth it produce? Pliny's Example of Wheat (2) is

a

(2) Tritico nihil eft fertilius: hoc ei natura tribuit, quoniam ço maximè alat hominem: utpote cum è modio, fi fit aptum so

ficient Inftance in this matter; which (as that curious Heathen obferves) being principally useful to the fupport of Man, is eafily propagated, and in great plenty. And an happy Faculty that is of it, that it can bear either extreams of Heat or Cold, fo as fcarce to refufe any Clime.

3. Another wife Provifion the Creator hath made relating to the Food of Animals is, that various Animals delight in various Food (3); fome in Grafs and Herbs; fome in Grain and Seeds; fome in Flesh; fome in Infects; fome in this (4), fome in that; fome more delicate and nice, fome voracious and catching at any thing. If all delighted in, or fubfifted only with one fort of Food, there would not be fufficient for all; but every variety chufing various Food, and perhaps abhorring that which others like, is a great and wife means that every Kind hath enough, and oftentimes fomewhat to spare.

A

It

lum---150 modii reddantur. Mifit D. Augufto procurator--`ex uno grano (vix credibile dictu) 400 paucis minus_germina. Mifit & Neroni fimiliter 340 ftipulas ex uno grano, Plin. Nat. Hift. 1. 18. c. 10.

(3) Sed illa quanta benignitas Natura, quòd tam multa ad vefcendum, tam varia, tam jucunda gignit: neque ea uno tempore anni, ut femper & novitate delectemur & copia. Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. 2. c. 53.3

(4) Swammerdam obferves of the Ephemeron. Worms, that their Food is Clay, and that they make their Cells of the fame. Upon which occafion he faith of Moths, that eat Wool and Fur, There are two things very confiderable. 1. -That the Cells they make to themselves, wherein they live, and with which (as their House, Tortoife-like) they move from place to place, they make of the Matter next at hand. 2. That they feed alfo on the fame, therefore when you find their Cells, or rather Coats or Cafes to be made of Tellow, Green, Blue or Black-Cloath, you will also find their Dung of the fame Colour, Swammerd, Ephem. vita. Published by Dr. Tyfon, Chap. 3.

Book IV. It deferves to be reckoned as an A&t of the Divine Appointment, that what is wholesome Food to one, is naufeous, and as a Poyfon to another; what is a sweet and delicate Smell and Tafte to one, is fœtid and loathfome to another. By which means all the Provifions the Globe affords are well difpofed of. Not only every Creature is well provided for, but a due Confumption is made of those things that otherwife would encumber the World, lie in the way, corrupt, rot, ftink and annoy, inftead of cherishing and refreshing it. For our most useful Plants, Grain and Fruits, would mould and rot; thofe Beafts, Fowls and Fishes, which are reckoned among the greatest Dainties, would turn to Carrion, and poyfon us: Nay, thofe Animals which are become Carrion, and many other things that are noyfome, both on the Dryland, and in the Waters, would be great Annoyances, and breed Difeafes, was it not for the Provilion which the infinite Orderer of the World hath made, by causing these things to be fweet, pleafant, and wholfome Food to fome Creature or other, in the place where those things fall: to Dogs, Ravens, and other voracious Animals, for inftance, on the Earth; and to rapacious Fishes, and other Creatures inhabiting the Waters.

Thus is the World in fome measure kept fweet and clean, and at the fame time, divers Species of Animals fupplied with convenient Food. Which Providence of God, particularly in the Supplies afforded the Ravens, is divers times taken notice of in the Scriptures (5); but whether for the Reafons now hinted, or any other fpecial Reasons, I Thall not enquire. Thus our Saviour, Luke 12.24. Confider the Ravens ; for they neither fow nor reap, which neither

(5) Fob 38. 41. Pfal. 147. 9.

(6) Ariftot.

neither have Storeboufe, nor Barn, and God feedeth them. It is a manifeft Argument of the Divine Care and Providence in fupplying the World with Food and Neceffaries, that the Ravens, accounted as unclean, and little regarded by Man, deftitute of Stores, and that live by Accidents, by what falleth here and there; that fuch a Bird, I fay, fhould be provided with fufficient Food; efpeci ally if that be true, which Ariftotle (6), Pliny (7), and Ælian (8) report of their unnatural Affection and Cruelty to their Young: "That they ex"pel them their Nefts as foon as they can fly, and "then drive them out of the Country.

Thus having confidered the wife Appointment of the Creator, in fuiting variety of Food to variety of Animals: Let us in the

4th place, Take a View of the peculiar Food which particular Places afford to the Creatures inhabiting therein.

It hath been already obferved (9), that every Place on the Surface of the Terraqueous Globe is ftocked with proper Animals, whofe Organs of Life and Action are curiously adapted to each refpective Place. Now it is an admirable Act of the Divine Providence, that every Place affords a proper Food to all the living Creatures therein. All the various Regions of the World, the different Climates (10), the various Soils, the Seas, the Waters,

(6) Ariftot. l. 9. c. 31. Hift. Animal.

(7) Pliny affirms this of the Crow as well as Raven : Catera omnes [i. c. Cornices] ex eodem genere pellunt nidis pullos, ac volare cogunt, ficut & Corvi, qui robuftos fuos foetus fu

gant longiùs. Nat. Hift. 1. 10. c. 12.

(8) Var. Hift.

(9) Chap. 9.

(10) Admiranda Natura difpenfatio eft, ut aliter, alioque modo, tempore, & induftria colatur terra Septentrionalis, aliter Ethiopia, &c. Quoad Aquilonares, boc certum eft, in plerif

que