They repeatedly requested the Massachusetts General Court, for example, to establish a constitution so that the people of the commonwealth would not be left «in a state of nature,» by which they meant, with Jonathan Edwards, «Hobbs state of war,» where men «would act
as the wild
beast of the desert; prey upon and destroy one another, «35 We are not surprised to learn that Alexander Hamilton said, «We may preach till we are tired of the theme the
necessity of disinterestedness in republics, without making a single proselyte.»
Therefore since God so planned the world that men and
beasts should live upon it and find there everything required for their
necessity and convenience, he also made water
as one means whereby to make the earth into so excellent a dwelling.