make the practical ufe of it; how precious alfo are thy thoughts unto me, O God? how great the fum of them? Should I count them?no, I -they are more in number than the fand!

cannot

when I awake I am still with thee.

With great perfpicuity does a particular, appear to those who own a special providence, viz. that of miracles. For thefe, as under the miniftration of Jefus Chrift, and his apoftles, were fo many appeals to what are called, the general laws of nature; and were manifeftations of the fame goodness which is over all. They removed defects in nature, reftored men's loft abilities; they gave fenfes that were wanting, and removed many evils from the mind and body; which was in evidence of the doctrine of remiffion; for thefe miraculous operations, were usually fo many effective decrees of abfolution, or pardon,— thy fins be forgiven thee.They did not introduce a fingle unnatural phenomenon; but had the very fame complexion with pure nature, and discovered the fame fource of power, with that of the creation. They were the exact copyings of nature; which occafioned Jefus to fay, my father worketh hitherto, and I work: and be who bath feen me, hath feen the father. This, I own, can be no demonftration to thofe who deny that miracles have ever been wrought. But this no more alters the truth of the cafe, than a man's fhutting his eyes at noon, is a negation of the light's fhining. For to those who have their eyes open, it is perfect day.

A fpecial providence, that of miraculous interpofals, must have a special feafon for it's operation. So when that feason is over, and the end anfwered ; as the reafon ceafeth, fo muft the operation. This was the cafe with chriftian miracles. I mean, miracles wrought in evidence of

the

:

the truth of chriftianity, which had no longer place than the age of the apoftles, when the doctrine was confirmed, and committed to writing: the rule of faith and practice to all future ages. And no advantage would arife from a revival of miracles for as Jefus faid to the Jews who trufted in Mofes, from a tradition of him, of about fifteen hundred years ftanding, [which Mofes had wrote of Chrift,] if ye believe not his writings, how fhall ye believe my word? So may it be faid of Chriftian miracles, if men believe them not, how would they believe miracles wrought by others in this, or any other fucceeding age, in support of those wrought fo many ages fince?

There is likewife in the various capacities and difpofitions of the human family, fomething analogous to a special miraculous providence, viz. in the furprizing difference of genius that is found in men, fuited to this and the other art or fcience! which inftances, have been the reputation, and glory of our fpecies. Men, have arisen, with fuperior abilities, for the investigation of nature, and the improvement of science: to which heights other genius's could never attain, by all the labour and culture that might be bestowed upon them.

But whether is more reasonable, to attribute thefe inftances of furprizing genius to general original laws, operating uniformly or to fpecial interpofals of divine power? Let thofe adepts in the original conftitution, decide the question; and fhew us how that original fettlement can fo operate, without any special interpofals; let them do it, if in their power. If it be not; they must allow us to have the more rational fide of the argument, who plead for a particular providence. And must be content, if we charge their scheme with very wild and groundless confequences;

3

only

only fit to be received by enthusiasts, who run mad with miftaken notions of reafon and nature.

In thefe obvious refpects, men may fee a providence actually exercifed over this world, in the immediate concern which they themselves have in it.

The objections to a particular providence over individuals, appear, to me, vain and trifling. Such as,

I. It would argue imperfection in God's works, that they require bis continued care: and that an artificer, among men, is able to form a machine with wheels and Springs, that shall continue a regular motion for a given feafon wholly, independent on him.

A cafe no way fimilar: for the utmost of his art, only derives it's efficacy from a knowledge of and dependence upon the established laws of nature. And all he is capable of doing, is only to modify given materials; paffive in their nature, and paffive in the very fprings of their motion. Their independence on the artificer, is wholly owing to their dependence on the laws of the great author of nature; fo that there is no manner of fimilitude: for the works of nature have all their fignificancy from their conftant dependence on their author. And there is no imputation of defect in this conftitution of things, tho' less perfect than a future one, if it is the fitteft for the place it has in the difpenfations of God.

II. It is thought, that the doctrine of continual interpofals of Deity, is not confiftent with the freedom of man. Because it is faid to infer, that God's agency is then the prime movement in all buman

agency.

But

But this is not the truth of the cafe, refpecting the morality of human actions. Because tho man cannot perform any action, as the efficient cause of it, without given power; yet the morality or immorality of the action, folely depends upon his having attended, or not attended to the fig nifications of God's will, or to the reafon of things. So in the neglect of action, which he should have performed. For in those inftances wherein any wrong action is done, notwithstanding the power of doing it was from God; yet, inafmuch as it was done contrary to the known will of God, it became a guilty action, on the part of man: tho he could not have been an agent, but by the continuance of an ability to perform it. In all those cafes, where God interpofeth, and difables or prevents man from executing his purposes; if those purposes were either good, or bad in themselves, or fo far as man intended them, the defign enters into the account of man's moral or immoral character, tho' the action was not performed.

III. The number of events, called by us, cafualties, or accidents, are fuppofed to lie as objections to a particular providence.

But the difficulty will be obviated, by confidering, that if from this number, we fubtract all that have taken place from man's not using his given capacities of thought and attention; and alfo what have taken place from his fuffering paffion and appetite to have the lead in his conduct; there will then be found comparatively few of those casualties, which are brought as objections to a particular providence. For it is not neceffary to the character of a wife and good Governor that he interpofe, by his power, or immediate fpecial direction, in fuch cafes where the given abilities are criminally neglected, or perverted.

D

And

And as to other poffible cafes, which we deem, cafualties, where there has not been any crimina 1 neglect in the fufferer, these may have their use in the scheme of God's moral government, and give energy to the doctrine of a particular providence. In what wonderful methods are fecret murthers frequently brought to light?

IV. It is objected, that in the great scenery of events which relate to mankind, we can ordinarily account for them, from the operation, of what are called, fecond caufes; and therefore it is improper to attribute them to the direction of God's interpofals.

But as no great events have ever taken place, by the inftrumentality of men, whose powers and abilities of exécution muft have been from the fource of being, fo the purposes served by such great events, have ufually, if not always, been very different from those they had taken into their plan: which, I think, demonftrates the fuperintendency of an over-ruling providence. And in the very idea of fecond caufes, a firft is included. Hence the objection is without force.

V. It has been faid, I think, by the infidel, that all things come alike to all, one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the pure, and· to the impure, that as is the good, fo is the finner ; and he that fweareth, as he that feareth an oath. That this is an evil, among all things that are done under the fun, that there is one event unto all.

But this, in a fenfe, is false: for God, the wife and good governor, does even now accept the works of the good man; and he exerciseth a kind providence over him. All things work together for his good. He guides him now by his counfel. Whereas it is not fo with the wicked. And notwithstanding this is not the ftate of the good man's full reward, or prefent good things, are

not