INTRODUCTION.

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HE first principles of natural religion teach us, there is a God: There is a Providence: There is a future State. Thefe facts, however, have neither been well understood, nor properly regarded, without the light of revelation. All our light hath a Father: and, according to its kind, it declares his glory. But as one star differeth from another star in glory, fo doth the revealed word of Promife excell every other ray of light. God hath magnified it above all his Name. Believers regard it as the word of truth, the gofpel of their falvation, and as that vivifying word, by which they are made partakers of the divine Nature; by which also they escape the corruption that is in the world through luft.

Providence, like the cloud which went before the fons of JACOB, is always fubfervient to the word of God; and it may be confidered

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confidered as a comment on the facred text. But this comment, like the cloudy pillar, is both opaque and luminous. They who fear God, are guided by it fafely; whereas unbelievers gaze and cenfure, rush on and are confounded.

Against the neceffity of Providence, it has been urged, "That the world was framed in fuch wonderful order and perfection, as to ftand in no further need of the Creator's Superintendence; and that his rational creatures were made capable of guiding themselves, and governing those beneath them; and that thereby the order of the world might be maintained without the Divine Interpofition.-The answer to which is, that every part of this pretence is groundless. It is demonftrable that the very material world cannot be kept in order by fecond caufes, but continually flands in need of the Creator's Influence, as might be fhewn at large. And much less could the order and harmony of the intellectual world be maintained without Divine Adminiftration. It is true, men are cndued with rea

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fon, and angels with more; but yet both men and angels being endued also with liberty, might act against the light of their own minds, and fall into diforder; and accordingly both have actually done fo. On which account, were it not for God's Providence and Government, it is evident that the moral world, as well as the natural, would become a mere Chaos, and fall into inextricable confufion. Is it not neceffary for the public fecurity, that evil men and evil angels be curbed and reftrained? Is it not neceffary that innocence be protected, and virtue encouraged? That guilt be expofed and profecuted, and vice and villany checked and punished ? And how should any thing of this kind be effectually done, if God did not fit at the helm, direct all affairs, and dispose of all events, according to the rules of righteousness and truth.

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But in order to discover the weakness of this plea, we need only take notice how it would hold in human Establishments. any thing to be done without rulers and governors? And fuppofing a fet of laws, of the beft laws, already made; will they

execute themselves? "Tis very true that men have reafon to direct them, and laws of various kinds; but 'tis likewife as true, that many men have wild humours, fierce defires, and furious paffions, which frequently prompt them to act in defiance both of law and reafon. On which account, and for the fupport of both, an executive Power is, and ever will be, abfolutely neceffary in all States and Communities. And muft not this obfervation hold much stronger in refpect of the whole Creation? If the several focieties among men require rulers and governors, and cannot fubfift without them; what can we think of the Universe itself? Muft not the Whole ftand in greater need of Government than any Part? Moft certain therefore it is, that the all-wife Creator would never produce fuch a great and glorious System, and then leave it in a flate of Anarchy; this being utterly inconfiftent with all the rules of wisdom we are capable of difcovering*

By thefe, and many other invincible arguments, the neceffity of Divine Providence

* BALGUY.

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is evident. But the fact is open to daily obfervation, and is moft firmly fixed, in pious minds, as a matter of belief. They doubt not, but "The eyes of the Lord . run to and fro through the earth, to fhew themselves ftrong in behalf of them whofe heart is perfect before him." They fay, "The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice. The Lord reigneth, let the people tremble."

"Should we go on to enquire how God governs the Univerfe, and prefume to fearch into the methods and measures of Divine Providence, we may eafily bewilder ourfelves in a speculation vaftly too high for us. We have all the reafon in the world to af fure ourselves that God's Government is moft perfect, in all refpects; but to account for the direction and difpofal of particular events, and to difcover how far they come under, and coincide with general laws, seem undertakings far above our present faculties. +"

Providence has been confidered, "As an intellectual knowledge, both foreseeing,