it; sits at the helm to rule and govern it; is himself in every part of it, and fills the whole with his presence. So great a fabric could not possibly stand without some guardian and ruler; nor can this be any other than the Creator himself; for who can pay a greater regard to it, support it more effectually, or govern it with greater wisdom, than he who made it? Nothing can be more perfect than God, therefore, it is necessary the world should be governed by him," says Cicero; and, "They who take away providence, though they acknowledge God in words, in fact deny him.”

If we believe that all things were produced out of nothing, the consequence is, that by the same powerful hand that created them, they must be preserved and supported to keep them from falling back into their primitive nothing. It must be also owned, that by the same powerful hand the regular motions of the stars, the contexture of the elementary world, the various kinds of creatures and the uninterrupted succession of their generations, are continued and preserved. Nor is divine providence to be confined within the heavens, or, in the lower world, restrained to the care of generals, in opposition to individuals; although the Peripatetic school inclined too much to this opinion, and, even the master of that school Aristotle himself, in his often quoted book, if it really be his, DeMundo. For, that providence extends to all things in this lower globe, from the highest to the lowest, and comprehends within its sphere particular as well as general things, the least as well as the greatest, is confirmed, not only by the doctrine of the sacred scripture, but also by the testimony of all sound philosophy.

1. Therefore, in maintaining the doctrine of Providence, we affirm, first, that the eternal Mind has an absolute and perfect knowledge of all things in general, and every single one in particular. Nor does he see only those that are actually present, as they appear in their order upon the stage of the world, but, at one view, comprehends all that are past as well as all that are to come, as if they were actually present before him. This the ancient philosopher Thales is said to have asserted expressly, even with regard to the hidden motions and most secret thoughts of the human mind; for, being asked, if any one that does

evil can conceal it from God? he answered, “No, not even his evil thoughts." "Nothing is left unprovided for," says St. Basil, "nothing is overlooked by God. His watchful eye sees all things. He is present every where to give salvation to all." Epictetus has also the same divine thoughts upon this subject.

And here, were any one to reflect seriously on the vast number of affairs that are constantly in agitation in one province or even in one city, the many political schemes and projects, the multiplicity of law matters, the still greater number of family affairs, and all the particulars comprehended under so many general heads, he would be amazed and overpowered with the thoughts of a knowledge so incomprehensibly extensive. This was the very thought which excited the divine psalmist's admiration, and made him cry out with wonder and astonishment, Such knowledge is too wonderful for me: it is high; I cannot attain unto it.

2. He not only knows all things and takes notice of them, but he also rules and governs them. He hath done whatsoever he pleased in the heavens and the earth, says the psalmist. He worketh all things, says the apostle, according to the counsel of his own will. He does all things according to his pleasure, but that pleasure is influenced by his reason; all things absolutely, but yet all things with the greatest justice, sanctity, and prudence.

He views and governs the actions of man in a particular manner. He hath given him a law. He hath proposed rewards, and annexed punishments to enforce it, and engage man's obedience. And having discovered, as it were, an extraordinary concern about him when he made him, as we have observed upon the words Let us make man, in like manner he still continues to maintain an uncommon good will towards him, and, so to speak, an anxious concern about him; so that one of the ancients most justly called man, "God's favourite creature." And he spoke much to the purpose, who said, "God is neither a lover of horses nor of birds, but of mankind." With regard to the justice of the supreme government of providence, we meet with a great deal even in the ancient poets.

"O father Jove," says Eschylus, "thou reignest in heaven, thou takest notice of the rash and wicked actions of

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gods and men. Thy care even extends to the wild beasts; thou observest the wrongs done them, and securest their privileges."

"Though justice," says Euripides, comes late, it is still justice; it lies hid as it were in ambush, till it finds an opportunity to inflict due punishment upon the wicked man."

"Dost thou think," says Echylus, "to get the better of the divine knowledge, and that justice stands at a distance from the human race? She is near at hand, and sees without being seen; she knows who ought to be punished; but when she will suddenly fall upon the wicked, that thou knowest not."

"The weight of justice," says the same author in another place, "falls upon some quickly in the day time; it lies in wait for some sins till the twilight. The longer it is delayed, the severer the punishment; accordingly, some are consigned to eternal night."

There are two difficulties, however, on this head, which are not easily solved; first, the success that commonly attends the wicked in this world, and the evil to which the good are exposed. On this subject, even the philosophers, pleading the cause of God, (which, if we take their word, they thought a matter of no great difficulty) advanced a great many things. Seneca tells us, "There is a settled friendship, nay, a near relation and similitude between God and good men; he is even their father, but, in their education, he inures them to hardships. When therefore you see them struggling with difficulties, sweating and employed in uphill work; while the wicked, on the other hand, are in high spirits and swim in pleasures; consider, that we are pleased with modesty in our children and forwardness in our slaves: the former we keep under by severe discipline, while we encourage impudence in the latter. Be persuaded that God takes the same method. He does not pamper the good man with delicious fare, but tries him; he accustoms him to hardships, and," which is a wonderful expression in a heathen, "prepares him for himself." And in another place he says, "Those luxurious persons whom he seems to indulge and to spare, he reserves for evils to come. For you are mistaken if you think any one excepted. The man who has been long spared will at last have his portion of

misery; and he that seems to have been dismissed is only delayed for a time," and a vast deal more to this purpose. The same sort of sentiments we meet with in Plutarch. "God takes the same method," says he, "with good men, that teachers do with their scholars, when they exact more than ordinary of those children of whom they have the greatest hopes." And it is a noble thought which we meet with in the same author: "If he who transgresses in the morning," says he, "is punished in the evening, you will not say that in this case, justice is slow; but to God, one or even several ages are but as one day." How near is this to St. Peter's saying on the same subject! 2 Pet. iii. 8.

The other point upon this subject, which perplexes men fond of controversy and is perplexed by them, is, how to reconcile human liberty with divine providence, which we have taken notice of before. But, to both these difficulties and to all others that may occur upon the subject, I would oppose the saying of St. Augustine: "Let us grant that God can do some things which we cannot understand."

What a melancholy thing it would be to live in a world where anarchy reigned! It would certainly be a woful situation to all, but more especially to the best and most inoffensive part of mankind. It would have been no great privilege to have been born into a world without God and without providence; for if there were no supreme Ruler of the world, then undoubtedly the wickedness of men would reign without any curb or impediment, and the great and powerful would unavoidably devour the weak and helpless, "as the great fishes often eat up the small, and the hawk makes havoc among the weaker birds."

It may be objected, that this frequently happens even in the present world, as appears from the prophecies of Habakkuk, i. 15; but the prophet immediately after asserts, that there is a supreme power which holds the reins in the midst of these irregularities; and though they are sometimes permitted, yet there is a determinate time appointed for setting all things to rights again, which the just man expects, and till it comes lives by faith.

Some passages of Ariston's lambics, are admirable to this purpose. "A. Be patient; for God uses to support

worthy men, such as you are, in a remarkable manner. And unless those who act in a becoming manner are to receive some great reward, to what purpose is it, pray, to cultivate piety any longer? B. I wish that may be the case; but I too often see those who conform themselves to the rules of piety and virtue, oppressed by calamity; while those who mind nothing but what they are prompted to by private interest and profit, thrive and flourish much better than we. A. For the present it is so indeed; but it becomes us to look a great way forward, and wait till the world has completed its full revolution; for it is by no means true, that this life is entirely under the dominion of blind chance or fortune; though many entertain this wicked notion, and the corrupt part of mankind, from this consideration, encourage themselves in immorality: but the virtues of the good will meet with a proper reward, and the wicked will be punished for their crimes; for nothing happens without the will of heaven."

What the poets sometimes advance concerning a supreme fate which governs all things, they often ascribe to God; though now and then they forget themselves, and subject even the supreme Being to their fate, as the Stoic philosophers did also. But possibly they both had a sound meaning, though it was couched under words that sound a little harsh; and this meaning now and then breaks forth, particularly when they celebrate God for disposing all things, by an eternal law, according to his own good pleasure, and thereby make him the supreme and universal Governor, subject to no other, but, in some respect, to himself or to his decrees: which, if you understand them in a sound sense, is all that they can mean by their τὸ σοφώτατον and their τὸ ἀμετάβλητον. The same judgment is to be passed with regard to what we find said about fortune; for either that word signifies nothing at all, or you must understand by it the supreme Mind, freely disposing of all things. And this is very clearly attested by the following excellent verses of Menander; "Cease to improve your minds, for the mind of man is nothing at all. The government of all things is solely in the hands of fortune. Whether this fortune be a mind, or the spirit of God, or whatever else it is, it carries all before it. Human prudence is but a vapour, a mere