in the difpenfation of both evil and good, as means o f effeCt-
ing ultimate purpofes worthy of his ineffable perfections; fo
that whether we confider ourfelves as chriftians or philofo-
phers, we muff acknowledge that he deferves bleffing not
more when he gives than when he takes away. If the fall
o f a fparrow, as well as its prefervation, is imputed to providence,
wh y not the fall as well as the prefervation o f a
man ? and why fliould we attribute to Providence only what
appears to be good in its immediate effeCt, when we fuppofe
that the whole concatenation of events, whether the prefervation
or deftruCtion o f particular parts, tends ultimately
to the good of the whole ? The fame voice commiffions the
winds to plough up the deep, which at the appointed time rebukes
them, faying, “ Peace, be ftill.” I f the adorable Author
and Preferver of Nature was fuch a being as Baal is repre-
fented to have been by the prophet, when he derided hiswor-
Ihippers; if he was fometimes on a journey, and fometimes
afleep, we might with propriety fay that a fire happened to
break out, or a ftorm to rife, but that by the interpofition of
providence life was preferved, expreffions which imply that
the mifchief had one origin, and the remedy another; but
fuch language certainly derogates from the honour o f the
great Univerfal Caufe, who, afting through all duration, and
fubfifting in all fpace, fills immenfity with his prefepce, and
eternity with his power.
It will perhaps be faid, that in particular inftances evil
neceffarily refults from that conftitution of things which is
beft upon the whole, and that Providence occafionally inVer-
feres, and fupplies the defects of the conftitution in thefe
particulars : but this notion will appear not to be fupported
by thofe fa ils which are faid to be providential; it will always
be found that Providence interpofes too late, and only
moderates the mifchief which it might have prevented. But
who
who can fuppofe an extraordinary interpofition o f Providence
to fupply particular defeCts in the conftitution o f nature,
who fees thofe defects fupplied but in part ? I t is true that
when the Endeavour was upon the rock off the coaft o f New
Holland, the wind ceafed, and that otherwife flie muft have
been beaten to pieces ; but either the fubfiding of the wind
was a mere natural event or n o t; if it was a natural event,
providence is out of the queftion, at leaft we can with no
more propriety fay that providentially the wind ceafed, than
that providentially the fun rofe in the morning. If it was
not a mere natural event, but produced by an extraordinary
interpofition, correcting a defeCt in the conftitution of nature,
tending to mifchief, it will lie upon thofe who maintain the
pofition, to ihew, why an extraordinary interpofition did not
take place rather to prevent the lhip’s ftriking, than to prevent
her being beaten to pieces after fhe had ftruck : a very
flight impulfe upon the fliip’s courfe would have caufed her
to fleer clear o f the rock, and i f all things were not equally
eafy to Omnipotence, we fliould fay that this might have
been done with lefs difficulty than a calm could be produced
by fufpending the general laws of Nature which had
brought on the gale.
I have, however, paid my homage to the Supreme Being,
confonant to my own ideas of his agency and perfections ;
and thofe who are o f opinion that my notions are erroneous,
muft allow, that he who does what he thinks to be right,
and abftains from what he thinks to be wrong, acquits him-
felf equally o f moral obligation, whether his opinions are
falfe or true.
V o t . I. d A N