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existence of a pre- Adamite flood ; indeed I do not think that that is at all 
necessary. You might call that multiplying miracles. But if we consider 
this subject, we And traces in the Holy Scriptures of a great curse falling on 
the earth. We find that when man fell, that creation which had been 
declared by God to be very good — the animals and trees which He had 
created perfect — received a curse for man. The earth was cursed for man’s 
sake. Who can tell what cataclysms or terrific events were connected with 
that curse when man was turned out of Paradise ? But we have Scripture 
telling us of another curse. The earth was polluted by man far more than 
when Adam and Eve sinned and were cast out of Paradise. There is some 
mysterious union between man and the inferior creatures ; and that curse 
was so great from man’s vileness that God in His wisdom allowed it to 
extend over the whole of creation, except those beings whom He saved in 
the Ark. But one thing has been lost sight of in these controversies with 
regard to not having a universal destruction of all living things. If we are 
to take a partial deluge, and only to submerge Asia, according to the 
principle which Stillingfleet mentions, where was the necessity for having 
such a number of animals in the Ark ? Where was the necessity for having 
an ark of such dimensions ? All the provision that would have been 
required was, that there should have been enough to sustain Noah and his 
family until the Ark was carried to those portions which were not sub- 
merged, and which would have been well supplied with animals and foliage. 
There was no necessity for the saving of such a number of animals. We are 
told that we must not multiply miracles, and that Scripture is provident of 
them. Now I deny that. It is true that in some portions of the history 
you go over long epochs and periods without a miracle : but you come then 
to a break, and then there is a prodigality of miracles. It must have been a 
miracle in a universal deluge, or even in a deluge which extended only to 
Asia, which sustained the Ark on the water in the midst of such a terrific 
conflict. Submerge Asia now, if you could do it, and would not that produce 
a universal deluge ? We know what a sweeping deluge took place as the 
result of one little earthquake ; what, then, would be the effect of submerging 
a whole continent ? It is said that the Scriptures are so very provident of 
miracles, but just take the instance of the children of Israel in their passage 
from Egypt to the land of promise. Was there not a prodigality of miracles 
in the deliverance of those people ? Would not one sign have been enough ? 
Why did He multiply them if He is to be provident of miracles ? But no ; 
He determined to give the people such evidence of His power that they 
should not resist the belief or knowledge of that power of the One True God. 
Why did He lead His people through the Bed Sea ? He could have carried 
them into the desert without that. Where was the necessity for such a miracle, 
if the Scriptures are provident of miracles ? Why were the children of 
Israel condemned to wander forty years in the desert? Why were they 
not taken into a country where they could have grown their own corn ? 
Why were they fed with manna — angels’ food ? Why did the fall of manna 
take place on every day except the Sabbath for forty years, and why 
