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240 that centre in harmony and order. One of these revolving orbs, our earth, being at length, brought into a fit state, was caused to put forth from its soil, herbs, trees, and other varieties of the vegetable kingdom—a second step in the progress of creation, the production of the mineral kingdom having been the first. This was but preparatory to a third step, however, the creation of animate beings, capable of enjoyment, as well as possessing existence,—the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, the beasts of the earth. None of these could pervert the order of their natures—they had nothing wherewith to pervert it—they could merely follow and yield to the instincts of their being. But now God's love prompted Him to create a nobler being,—one who should be able to look up to the Author of His existence, and acknowledge Him, and also to love Him in return for His love; one, that should be not only organized, like the vegetables,—not only animate, like the inferior animals,—but an intelligent and conscious being,—one that should be able to know and to reflect upon, both himself and his God. Such a being was in a manner necessary to the Divine Nature; for Understanding longs to be understood,—Love yearns to be loved again.

Now, in order that man might possess such consciousness and intelligence, that is, the power of observing and knowing himself, and also of acknowledging and loving his God,—he was endowed with the faculty of reason or understanding, together with that of affection or will,—which two faculties, taken in their most comprehensive view, constitute the whole mind of man: for liberty is not, perhaps, to be considered so properly a distinct faculty, as a quality or