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ase are afored at and « fflfe | cted # $ s la foe more magnificent , so also in the least and most ihconsicteraMe parts of nature , bare we liot as gdocr reason to acknowledge , the hand of God in the one as in the other ? Wherever
beauty appears , and the general welfere is consulted * there God is pre ^ gent , there he acts . But these ends are every where pursued in aH the regions of nature , in all kinds afcd degrees of life , in earth and air and sea , and in the make and disposal of each particular being .
If God , at the game tune that he directs and manages the universe in general , yet takes jlo care of minute affairs and particular beings , it must be either because he cannot , or
because he will not . That he cannot , we shall scarcely affirm : for which is easier , to create worlds , and keep them in rapid and regular motion , or to form and dispose of a single
plant or animal ? You acknowledge that he is able to effect the former ; he must therefore be equal to the latter , which requires no greater expense of power .
Nor need we be-concerned lest the Deity should be perplexed by attending to such a vast multiplicity of creatures and events-, w lest k should neglect some of them , because he cannot , or not without difficulty , oversee them all . This woulfl be to
make man the standard or'Spd , and * to measure an infinite mind by our limited and imperfect powers . And ' yet even optr mindb , narrow as fchey are , can with ease cpraprefoend m $ t * y things at the sattfe tithe * We , who
are confined tt > so small a p $ rt of space , can view at oncte a large prospect , and tqjke i * * ll its varieties of hills and plains , woods antl rivers , to a considerable distance . And can we
. imagine that tfte Diviner mind ; which ' is every where present , is hot i | ble to ^ e all things every wS » rc and * t once ? We can ,, in WuMfrt . dbseryethe aflflirsof ' Aflftn £ » perils , societies « nd n ^ toi ^ r at ** is ft UJfcitfy ' tnat he , from ^ om tfwste ntiiidfc aP
ours are deriVed , %# ^ n ^ ho'infinitely ^ ceeds all his cWfclttbtes ih « Vac ^ t $ M * perfectitm , ftafiile * ^ i ^ &jie cfipBB * Prehend thef M of ( he *^ fe uSjme , atte ^ 0 fncis W ^ bcfe ^ aL nations and \ ftfcrl * ik < r'ffift * ^ wmm /
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then , that the power met wisdom * of God are ^ equal to the direetlonv of th « most minute aflFairs , however nwiaote tchis .
If , therefore , he do not dispose an * # overn them , it must be because he will not . But tftat he will dii * ect all > even the minute aad inconsidemfete aflSiirs , may easily be skewflj it ^ e will only admit this prmtiple , rfiat he will always A ) what fe * beet . ABd
whatcanriiiidrttce him to act otherwise ? Not s ^ toth or cowardice : for slbt ^ proceeds from some aneasiness in aeting ; and cowardice # 6 m a sense of weakness and a fear of danger . But tlie Dlvinte aature actfc without d 4 ffi > -
euwy , and ife npt dbnoidbus to any fear ^ evi ^ y objec t yfeM-s to its trflH and imnrediately assumes that very nature , place anet form , wEieh he wotrfd hare it . " Hfe speaks , and it ik ( fbne : he command ^ ,, aad it is es * /
tabjidxed . w Neither can he , like man , be dirawn aside from dbing * what is best ,, by selfish' views of any kind : for what interest can . the universal mindt possiBlJr have ; inconsistent with , or even € K £ ferent from , ^« ' interest and good of * tjje wWe ? But here it is ueedless to ^ ft l ^ rgei , sjacfe we are now reajjoning 1 wijfi those whe acknowledge that ( tO ^ Hr : t > erfecflv erood :
and ^ Bfe inrg * perfectly gQQ& will continually do what i § be ^ t . And now to complete the argument . If &&i wlff do whi » t m h ^ t , he will concern Himself in those afm $ s
which may seerti to us of the least e © nseqti . eiic& 1 for can it be be&t , tha * , wHile greH . t things and events are directed , smiillpr amrirs should be left at random ? Were it not better that all things , small as well as great , 8 ^ ionxra be aj >^ uiiit ^ d apd 6 rdferfed by the Supreme Wisdom ? Let us
contriider > rh » t ia tire case ill niaWers- directed by hiithfin ^ an / or pr ^ idence . As )* the nkecftuBmisf , whetheit hia cteck or Watch will be mote * eri& € tt ; ^ irall the parts of it are made and adjusted in tfe ex ^ ctest nVsenfter , or if noae bnt tne prinefparm ^ emen ^ ^ r € ^ c ! ln * tciy yfctidlfc * * M J «^; il 6 iNifea . of
9 o it is ih tfc ^ veHiment the Universe , whiqh being ! & > tittiqefy united into onesysteiA , audeompoefed of papta aa in tun at ^ ly < contiecfedt as > cfte m ^ st cui ^ tis ^ Wim ^ fcttted ntttttifoe , the ivh < yfe 6 f it ^ oniioK be
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An Essay , Sjftkt htfe Kev . J . HcUand , on the Provbtebwe qf Gad . 613
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v xvni . 3 d
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1823, page 513, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1788/page/17/
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