A DISCOURSE O.F THE Divine Providence. The INTRODUCTION. M Y Chief Design in this following Treatife, is, So to explain the Nature of Providence, as to reconcile Men to the Belief of it; and to poffefs them with a Religious Awe and Reverence of the Supreme and Abfolute Lord of the World. For it is very evident, that the Miftakes about the Nature of Providence, are the Principal Objections against it; which tempt fome Men to deny a Providence, or fo weaken the Senfe of it in others, that they are very little the better for believing it. That a Divine Providence does govern the World, I have proved largely enough B for Cap. I. §. 3. for my prefent Defign, in the Difcourfe concerning a Future Judgment ; which I refer my Reader to: But that this Work might not feem to want a Foundation, I have not wholly omitted the Proof of a Providence, but have at least faid enough to convince those of a Providence, who believe, That there is a God; which must be fuppofed in a Difcourfe of Providence. The Whole is divided into Nine Chapters. I. The neceffary Connection between the III. Concerning God's Governing Providence. IV. The Sovereignty of Providence: The Explication of thefe Things will not only answer many Difficulties in Providence, but will give us a clearer Notion of the Divine Attributes, and of fome of the Principal Duties of Religion. CHA P. CHAP. I. The neceffary Connection between the Belief of a God, and of a Providence, Nftead of other Arguments to prove a Providence, I fhall at prefent infift only on this, That the Belief of a God infers a Providence : That if we believe there is a God who made the World, we must believe that the fame God who made the World, does govern it too. 1. For first, it is as abfurd and unreasonable to think, that the World is governed by Chance; as to think, That it was made by Chance ; for Chance can no more govern, than it can make the World. One principal Act of Providence is to uphold all Things in Being, to preferve their Natures, Powers, Operations; to make this lower World again every Year by new Productions: For Nature feems to decay, and die, and revive again, in almost as wonderful a Manner, and as unintelligible to us, as it was first made. Now tho' it is very abfurd to say, That Chance, which acts by no Rule, nor with any Counsel or Design, can make a World, which has all the Marks and Characters of an Admirable Wisdom in its Contrivance; yet it feems more abfurd to fay, That Chance can preferve, that it can uphold the Things it has made, that it can repair the Decays of Nature, nay, reftore it when it feems loft: That it cannot only do the fame Thing twice, but repeat it infinitely in new Cafu, inquis? Itanè verò? Quidquam poteft cafu effe factum, quod omnes in fe habeat numeros veritatis? Quatuor tali jaci casu venereum efficiunt, num etiam centum venereos, fi 400 talos ejeceris, cafu futuros putas ? Sic enim se profectò res habet, ut nunquam perfectè veritatem cafus imitetur. Cicero de Divinat. L. 1. Productions: That Chance can give Laws to Nature, and impofe a Neceffity on it to act regularly and uniformly; that is, That Chance fhould put an end to Chance, and introduce Neceffity and Fate. Were there not a Wife and Powerful Providence, it is Ten ThousandTimes more likely, that Chance fhould unmake and diffolve the World, than that it fhould at first make it ; for a World that came together by Chance, and has nothing to keep it together but the Chance that made it, which is as uncertain and mutable as Chance is, will quickly unmake it felf. Should the Sun but change his Place, come nearer this Earth, or remove farther from it, there were an end of this Lower World; and if it were placed there by Chance, it is wonderful, that in fo many Ages, fome new unlucky Chance has not removed it. And therefore the Pfalmift attributes not only the Creation, but the Prefervation of all Things to God. Praise him Sun and Moon, praise him ye Stars of light: Praise him all ye Heavens, and ye Waters that are above the Heavens: Let them praife the Name of the Lord, for he fpake the Word, and they were made he commanded, and they were created: He hath made them faft for ever; he hath given them a Law which fhall not be broken, 148. Pfal. 3, 4, 5, 6. 2dly, The fame Wisdom and Power which Made the World, muft Govern it too: It is only a creating Power that can preferve: That which owes its very Being to Power, muft de pend pend upon the Power that made it, for it can have no Principle of Self-fubfiftence independent on its Caufe: It is only Creating Wisdom that perfectly understands the Natures of all Things, that fees all the Springs of Motion, that can correct the Errors of Nature, that can fufpend or direct the Influences of Natural Causes, that can govern Hearts, change Men's Purposes, infpire Wisdom and Counsel, reftrain or let loofe their Paffions. It is only an Infinite Mind that can take care of all the World, that can allot every Creature its Portion; that can adjust the Interefts of States and Kingdoms; that can bring Good out of Evil, and Order out of Confufion. In a word, the Government of the World requires fuch Wisdom and fuch Power, as no Being has, but he who made it ; and therefore if the World be governed, it must be governed by the Maker of it. 3dly, If there be any fuch Being as we call God, a Pure, Infinite, Eternal Mind, it is a Demonftration, That he must govern the World. Immortali ævo fummà Semota à noftris rebus, cum pace fruatur. fejunctaque longè. Those who deny a Providence, will not allow, that God fees or takes notice of what is done here below. The Epicureans, tho' in Civility and Compliment to the Superftition of Mankind, rather than from a real Belief and Senfe of a Deity, they did own a God, nay, a great many Gods, fuch as they were, yet never allowed their Gods to know any Thing of our Affairs, which would have disturbed their profound Eafe and Reft, the fole Happiness of the Lazy, Unactive, Epicurean Deities; and this fecured them from the Fear of their |