INstead of other Arguments to prove a Providence , I shall at present insist 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 same God who Made the World , does Govern it too .

1. For first , It is as absurd 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 preserve their Natures , Powers , Operations ; to make this lower World again every Year by new Productions : For Nature seems to decay , and dye , and revive again , in almost as wonderful a manner , and as unintelligible to us , as it was first made . Now tho it is very absurd 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 seems more absurd to say , That Chance can preserve , that it can uphold the things it has made , that it can repair the decays of Nature , nay , restore it when it seems lost : That it can not only do the same thing twice , but repeat it infinitely in new productions : That Chance can give Laws to Nature , Casu , inquis ? itanè verò ? quidquam potest casu esse factum , quod omnes in se habeat numeros veritatis ? quatuor tali jacti casu venereum efficiunt , num etiam centum venereos , si 400 talos ejeceris , casu futuros putas ? — Sic enim se profectò res habet , ut nunquam perfectè veritatem casus imitetur . Cicero de Divinat . l. 1. and impose a Necessity on it to act regularly and uniformly ; that is , That Chance should put an end to Chance , and introduce Necessity and Fate . Were there not a Wise and Powerful Providence , it is Ten thousand times more likely , that Chance should unmake and dissolve the World , than that it should 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 self . 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 so many Ages , some new unlucky Chance has not removed it . And therefore the Psalmist attributes not only the Creation but the Preservation 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 praise the name of the Lord , for he spake the word , and they were made ; he commanded , and they were created : He hath made them fast for ever ; he hath given them a law , which shall not be broken , 148. Psal. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6.

2dly . The same Wisdom and Power which Made the World , must Govern it too : It is only a Creating Power that can preserve : That which owes its very Being to Power , must depend upon the Power that made it , for it can have no principle of Self-subsistence independent on its Cause : It is only Creating Wisdom , that perfectly understands the Natures of all things , that sees all the springs of Motion , that can correct the Errors of Nature , that can suspend or direct the Influences of Natural Causes , that can govern Hearts , change mens Purposes , inspire Wisdom and Counsel , restrain or let loose their Passions . 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 Interests of States and Kingdoms ; that can bring Good out of Evil , and Order out of Confusion . In a word , the Government of the world requires such Wisdom and such 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 such Being as we call God , a Pure , Infinite , Eternal Mind , it is a Demonstration , That he must Govern the world .

Those who deny a Providence , will not allow , that God sees or takes notice of what is done here below . The Epicureans , tho in Civility and Compliment to the Superstition of mankind , rather than from a real belief and sense of a Deity , they did own a God , nay , a great many Gods , Immortali aevo summâ cum pace fruatur . such as they were , yet never allowed their Gods to know any thing of our affairs , Semota a nostris rebus , sejunctaque longè . which would have disturbed their profound Ease and Rest , the sole Happiness of the Lazy , Unactive , Epicurean Deities ; and this secured them from the fear of their Gods , who lived at a great distance from them , and knew nothing concerning them .

And in the same manner this is represented in Scripture , That wicked men would not believe that God saw , or heard , or took any notice of what they did ; 64. Psalm 5. They encourage themselves in an evil matter , they commune of laying snares secretly ; they say , Who shall see them . 10. Psalm 11. He hath said in his heart , God hath forgotten , he hideth his face , he will never see it . 94. Psalm 7 , 8 , 9 , 10. Yet they say , The Lord shall not see , neither shall the God of Iacob regard it . Vnderstand ye brutish among the people , and ye fools when will ye be wise ? He that planted the ear , shall he not hear ? And he that formed the eye , shall he not see ? He that chastiseth the heathen , shall not he correct ? And he that teacheth man knowledg , shall not he know ? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man , that they are vanity . So that these men took it for granted , That if God did see , and hear , and know what was done in the world , he would reward men accordingly . And therefore the Providence of God is described in Scripture by his seeing and observing the Actions of men . 31. Job 4. Doth not he see my ways , and count all my steps ? 33. Psal. 18 , 19. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him , upon them that hope in his mercy ; that is , to protect them , and to do good to them ; as it follows , to deliver their soul from death , and to keep them alive in famine . And therefore when good men pray for help and succour , they only beg God to see and take notice of their condition ; 1. Lam. 11. See , O Lord , and consider , for I am become vile . 64. Isa. 9. Behold , see , we beseech thee , we are all thy people . Thus in Hezekiah 's Prayer , Incline thine ear , O Lord , and hear , open thine eyes , O Lord , and see , and hear all the words of Senacherib , which hath sent to reproach the living God : And therefore God's seeing , is made an argument that he will reward or punish , 10. Psalm 14. Thou hast seen it , for thou beholdest mischief and spite , to requite it with thy hand . And indeed it is not to be imagined , that a holy and just God , who sees and observes all the good and evil that is done in the world , should not reward the good , and punish the wicked ; for there is no other Holy and Just Being in the world , that has authority to reward and punish , but would certainly do it . And if the Proof of a Divine Providence be resolved into God's knowing what is done in the world , the Dispute will be soon ended ; for those who believe that there is a God , and that he is an Infinite , Omnipresent Mind , cannot doubt whether he sees and knows all things . As the Psalmist elegantly expresses it , 139. Psalm 1. — 13. O Lord , thou hast searched me and known me . Thou knowest my down-sitting , and my uprising , thou understandest my thought afar off ? Thou compassest my path , and my lying down , and art acquainted with all my ways . For there is not a word in my tongue , but lo , O Lord , thou knowest it altogether . Thou hast beset me hehind and before , and laid thine hand upon me . Such knowledge is too wonderful for me , it is too high , I cannot attain unto it . Whither shall I go from thy Spirit , or whither shall I flee from thy presence ? If I ascend up into heaven , thou art there , if I make my bed in hell , behold thou art there . If I take the wings of the morning , and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea , even there shall thy hand lead me , and thy right hand shall hold me : If I say , surely the darkness shall cover me , even the night shall be light about me ; yea , the darkness hideth not from thee , but the night shineth as the day ; the darkness and the light are both alike to thee ; for thou hast possessed my reins , thou hast covered me in my mother's womb . How is it possible , that an Omnipresent Mind should be ignorant of any thing , or that the Maker of the World should not be present with all his Creature , or that being present , and seeing all their Actions , he should be an idle and unconcerned Spectator ?

4thly , For I think in the next place , it is past all dispute , that he who made the World cannot be unconcerned for his Creatures . He hath implanted in most Creatures a natural care of their Offspring ; and it is made an argument of want of understanding in the Ostrich , That she leaveth her Eggs in the Earth , and warmeth them in the dust , and forgetteth that the foot may crush them , or that the wild Best may break them . She is hardened against her young ones , as if they were not hers : Her labour is in vain without fear , because God hath deprived her of wisdom , neither hath he imparted to her understanding , 39. Job 15 , 16 , 17. And can we think then , that an infinitely wise Being , should be as unconcerned for the World , as the Ostrich is for her Eggs ?

It is certain the Maker of the World is no sluggish unactive Being ; for to make a World is a Work of infinite Wisdom and Counsel , of Divine Art and Power ; and not only to give being to that which was not , is it self an act of excellent Goodness , but there are so many legible Characters of a Divine Bounty and Goodness stamped upon all the Works of Nature , that we must conclude , the World was made by an infinitely good Being ; and it is impossible that a wise and good Being , who is a pure Act , and perfect Life , can cast off the care of his Creatures . Besides the Laws of God and Men , natural Affection will not suffer men to forget their Children ; and though God has no Superior , his own Nature is a Law to himself .

This is sufficient to shew , how necessarily the belief of a God infers a Providence , and therefore no Philosophers , excepting Epicurus , and his Sect , who acknowledged a Deity , Epicurum verbis reliquisse Deos , resustulisse , de Nat. Deor. l , 2. ever denied a Providence ; and Tully tells us , that he retained the name of a God , but destroyed his Being . Quo concesso confitendum est eorum Consilio mundum administrari , de Nat. Deor. l. 2.

The Stoick in Tully concludes a Providence from the acknowledgment of a God : And therefore tells us , that Providence signifies the Providence of God : Providentia praecisè dicitur pro Providentia Deorum . Ibid. And those Philosophers made no scruple of calling God Providence and Fate , Chrysippus Legis perpetuae & aeternae vim , quae quasi dux vitae , & Ministra Officiorum sit , Jovem dicit esse , eandemque fatalem necessitatem . Ibid , l , 1. and the Power of an Eternal and Perpetual Law . For indeed Mankind had no other notion of a God , than that he is an Excellent and Perfect Being , Aliquam excellentem esse & praestantem naturam , quae haec fecisset , moveret , regeret , gubernaret . Ibid. who made , and who governs the World . This is the notion which the Philosophers , who acknowledg'd a Deity , defended against Epicurus , and other Atheists ; Imposuitis in cervicibus nostris sempiternum Dominum , quem dies & noctes timeremus ; quis enim non timeat omnia providentem , & cogitantem , & animadvertentem , & omnia ad se pertinere putantem , curiosum , & plenum negotii Deum . Ibid. this is the notion of a God , which Atheists oppose , the God whom they fear , an Eternal Lord , who observes , and takes notice of every thing , and thinks himself concerned in all the Affairs of the World . And therefore the Dispute , Whether there be a God or no , principally resolves it self into this , Whether this World , and all things in it , is made and governed by Wisdom and Counsel , or by Chance , and a blind material Necessity and Fate : which proves , that the very notion of God includes a Providence , or else either to prove or to overthrow the Doctrine of Providence , would neither prove , nor overthrow the Being of a God .

This , I am sure , is very plain , That the same Arguments which prove the Being of a God , prove a Providence : If the beauty , variery , usefulness , and wise contrivance of the Works of Nature , prove that the World was at first made by a wise and powerful Being ; the continuance and preservation of all things , the regular motions of the Heavens , the uniform productions of Nature , prove the World is upheld , directed and governed by the same Omnipotent Wisdom and Counsel . As St. Paul tells us , The invisible things of God from the creation of the world , are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , even his eternal power and Godhead , 1 Rom. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his Dominion and Soveraignty , or his governing Providence ; this visible World does not only prove an Eternal Power which made it , but a Soveraign Lord , who administers all the Affairs of it . And 14. Acts 17. He proves the Being of God from his Providence ; Nevertheless he left not himself without witness in that he did good , and gave us rain from heaven , and fruitful seasons , filling our hearts with food and gladness . And 17. Acts 28. He proves , that God governs the World , and takes care of all the Creatures that are in it , because he made it ; For in him we live , move , and have our being , as certain of your own Poets have said ; for we are also his off-spring : which is very improperly alledged by St. Paul , if we may be the Off-spring of God , and yet not live , and move , and have our Being in him ; that is , if God's making the World does not necessarily prove his constant care and governmet of it . But the Apostle knew in those days , that no man , who confessed that God made the World , questioned his Providence , and therefore makes no scruple to prove , that we live and subsist in God , because he made us .

This is a noble Argument to prove both the Being and Providence of God ( which cannot be separated ) from the Works of Nature , and the Wise Government of the World ; It would give us a very delightful entertainment , to view all the Curiosities and suprizing Wonders of Nature ; with what beauty , art and contrivance , particular Creatures are made , and how the several parts of this great Machine are fitted to each other , and make a regular and uniform World ; How all particular Creatures are fitted to the use and purposes of their several Natures , and yet are made serviceable to one another , and have as mutual a connexion and dependance , as the Wheels of a Clock . What an equal and steady Hand governs the World , when its motions seem most excentrick and exorbitant , and brings Good out of Evil , and Order out of Confusion , when things are so perplext , that it is impossible for any one , but a God , to disentangle them .

There is no need of the subtilty of Reason and Argument in this Cause , would but men attentively study the Works of God , and dwell in the contemplation of Nature and Providence ; for God is as visible in his Works , as the Sun is by its Light ; when all the Wonders of Nature are unfolded , and exposed particularly to our view , it so over-powers the mind with such infinite varieties of that most Divine Art and Wisdom , that modest men are ashamed to ascribe such things to a blind Chance , which has no Design or Counsel .

Indeed to say , that a World full of Infinite Marks and Characters of the most admirable Art , a World so made , that no Art could make it better , was not made by a wise Mind , but by Chance , by a fortuitous concourse of Atoms , which without any Design , after infinite fruitless Trials , happened into this exact , useful , beautiful Order , that now they are in , know when they are well , and in despight of Chance move as constantly , regularly , artificially , in all new Productions , as the divinest and most uniform Wisdom could direct : I say , to affirm this , is to put an end to all Disputes , by leaving no Principles of Reason and Argumentation to dispute with .

An Atheist is the most vain Pretender to Reason in the World : The whole strength of Atheism consists in contradicting the universal Reason of Mankind . They have no Principles , nor can have any , and therefore they can never reason , but only confidently deny or affirm . They can assign no Principles of Reason , which the rest of Mankind allow to be Principles , from whence they can prove that there is no God , and no Providence ; but they only reject those Principles , which all other men agree in , and from whence it must necessarily follow , that there is a God and a Providence .

It will be of great use briefly to explain this , which will teach you to reject Atheism and Atheists , without troubling your selves to dispute with them ; for they have no common Principles with the rest of Mankind to reason upon , nor indeed any Principles of Reason at all .

A few words will suffice for this purpose . Mankind , who have been used to thinking and reasoning , have universally agreed , That there must be something that had no beginning , and no cause ; for nothing can produce nothing ; that had there ever been a time , when there was nothing , there never could have been any thing , unless there can be an effect without a cause , which is too absurd for Atheists themselves to say in express words , who do not boggle much at Absurdities ; and therefore they make their Atoms , and their Vacuum , to be eternal . It is agreed also , That whatever had a beginning , had a cause ; and the most easy and natural progress of Human Understandings is to reason from one cause to another , till we ascend to , and center in , a first Cause . For it is as easy and natural to believe one first Eternal Cause , as to believe an Eternal Being ; but though it is natural to believe something Eternal , it is as unnatural to believe all things to be so ; we have no notion of all things being Eternal , though we have of an Eternal Cause ; for the very reason why we are forced to confess something Eternal , is , because there must be an Eternal Cause of all other things ; that is , because all things are not eternal : But if any thing , which has not an eternal and unchangeable Nature , but is capable of being made and unmade , changed and altered , as all the things of this World are , might be without a Cause , then every thing may be without a Cause ; and if the Eternity of all things be a natural Notion , it cannot be a natural Notion that there is a first Cause . For that very Notion supposes , that something had a beginning , and was originally made , when it was not before , and therefore , that all things are not eternal . For to be made in this Axiom , primarily relates to the being of things , and is so understood by all men : And how can such a notion of the making and giving being to any thing , be natural , if it be a natural notion , that all things are eternal , and that nothing was made ?

Hence it is , that seen and visible Effects , which have no visible Cause adequate to the producing such Effects , are allowed by all Mankind to be a sufficient proof of some Invisible Cause , as St. Paul tells us ; and he spoke the Language of Human Nature in it ; That the invisible things of God from the creation of the world , are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , 1. Rom. 20. For if that which is made , must have a Cause , if there be no visible Cause , there must be an invisible Maker : And therefore this World , which has no visible , must have an invisible Cause .

And as it is natural to the Reason of Mankind to conclude the Cause from the Effect , so is it to learn the Nature of the Cause from the Nature of the Effect ; for whatever is in the Effect , must be either specifically or virtually in the Cause ; for whatever is in the Effect , which is not in the Cause , that has no Cause , for nothing can be a cause of that , which it is not it self . And therefore whatever has life and understanding , must be made by a living and understanding Cause ; whatever has art and skill , and wise contrivance in its frame , as every Worm and Fly has , must have a wise designing Cause for its Maker : And then it is certain , that this whole World was not made by chance , or the fortuitous concourse of Atoms , but by an infinitely wise Mind . This way of reasoning is easy and natural to our minds ; all men understand it , all men feel it : Atheists themselves allow of this kind of proof in all other cases , excepting the proof of a God or a Providence ; and therefore it is no absurd , foolish way of reasoning , for then it must not be allowed of in any case ; and they have no reason to reject it in this case , but that they are resolved not to believe a God and a Providence . And yet this way of reasoning from Effects to Causes , must be good in all Cases , or in none : For the Principle is universal , That nothing can be made without a Cause , and if any thing can be made made without a Cause , this Principle is false , and can prove nothing . And I challenge the wisest and subtilest Atheist of them all , to prove from any Principle of Reason , that the most beautiful and regular House that ever he saw , which he did not see built ( for that is a proof from Sense , not from Reason ) was built by men , and is a work of Art , and that it did not either grow out of the Earth , nor was made by the accidental meeting of the several Materials , which without knowledge , art , or design , fell into a regular and uniform Building . Had these men never seen a House built , I would desire to know , how they would prove , that it is a work of Art , built by a skilful Workman , and not made by chance ; and by what medium soever they will prove this , I will undertake to prove , that God made the World , though we did not see him make it .

But the present Enquiry is only this , Whether this be Human Reason , the natural Reason of Human Minds ? If it be , then men , who will be contented to reason like men , must acknowledge and assent to this Argument from Effects to Causes , which unavoidably proves a God and a Providence ; and this is all I desire to be granted , That those who will follow the Notices and Principles of Human Reason , must believe that God made and governs the World ; for I know not how to reason beyond Human Reason ; those who do , may please themselves with it .

Those who have found out a Reason , which contradicts the natural Principles of Reason , must reason by themselves , for Mankind cannot reason with them .

But let us consider how Atheists reason , when they have laid aside this Principle of Reason , from Effects to Causes .

They tell us , That a most Artificial World may be made without Art , or any wise Maker , by blind Chance , without any designing Efficient Cause : That Life , and Sense , and Reason , may result from dead , stupid , sensless Atoms ; Well! we hear this , and bear it as patiently as we can ; but how do they prove this ; why , they say , it may be , and they can go no farther : But how do they know , this may be ? Have they any such notion in their minds ? have they any natural sensation that answers these words ? does Nature teach them , that any thing can be without a Cause adequate to the Effect ? that any thing can be wisely made without a wise Cause ? that one contrary can produce the other ? that sensless , stupid Matter can produce Life , Sensation and Understanding ? Can they then tell me , what it is that can't be ? I desire to know by what Rule they judge , what may be , and what can't be : And if they can find any can't be more absurd and contradictious than their may be , I will renounce Sense and Reason for ever : If nothing can be without a Cause , according to the Reason of Mankind , this can't be , and therefore all that their may be 's can signify , is this , That if the Reason of Mankind deceive us , such things may be , as the most unquestionable Principles of Reason tells us can't be . And this is the glorious triumph of Atheistical Reason , it can get no farther than a may be , and such a may be as is absolutely impossible , if the Reason of Mankind be true .

Set aside the relation between Causes and Effects , and all the Arguments from Causes to Effects , and from Effects to Causes , and there is an end of all Knowledge ; and set aside all those first Principles and Maxims of Reason , which all men assent to at the first Proposal , the truth of which they see and feel , and there is an end of all Reason : For there can be no reasoning without the acknowledgment of some first Principles , which the mind has a clear , distinct , and vigorous perception of : And if men will distrust their own minds in such things as they have an easy , natural perception of , and prefer some Arbitrary Notions , which seem absurd Contradictions , and impossible to the rest of Mankind , and which they can have no Idea of beyond the sound of words ; they may be Atheists , if they please , at the expence of their Reason and Understanding ; that is , they may be Atheists , if they will not judge and reason like Men : But if we are as certain of the Being of a God , and of a Providence , as we are , that nothing can be without a Cause , we have all the certainty that Human Nature is capable of .

HAving proved as largely as my present Design required , That the same God who made the World , is the Supream Lord and Governour of it . I proceed to consider the Nature of Providence .

The general Notion of Providence is God's care of all the Creatures he has made , which must consist in preserving and upholding their Beings and Natures , and in such Acts of Government , as the good Order of the World , and the Happiness of Mankind require ; which divides Providence into Preservation and Government , which must be carefully distinguished in order to answer some great Difficulties in Providence .

I begin with Preserving Providence , which commences from the first instant of the Creation ; for as soon as Creatures are made , they need a Divine Power to preserve them . For this is the strict Notion of Preservation , as distinguished from a Governing Providence , That God upholds all things in being from falling back into their first Nothing , and preserves their natural Vertues , Powers and Faculties , and enables them to act , and to attain the ends of their several Natures : Which distinguishes this Preserving Providence from those many Acts of Preservation which belong to Government : Such as preserving the Lives of men from unseen Accidents , and visible Dangers , nay of Beasts and of Birds too , as our Saviour assures us , That not a sparrow falls to the ground without our Father ; 18. Matth 29. in which sense the Psalmist tells us , 36. Psal. 6. That God preserves both man and beasts , supplies them with Food , and all other things necessary to life , and preserves their Lives from violence or accident , as long as he sees fit .

This Preservation as distinguish'd from Government , St. Paul expresly teaches 17. Acts 28. For in him we live , and move , and have our being . We were not only made by him , but we live , and move , and have our being in Him ; as the Apostle to the Hebrews tells us of Christ , That he upholds all things by the word of his power , 1. Hebr. 3.

The Schools have divided this into two distinct Acts. 1. God's upholding and preserving the Being and Natures of all things . 2. His Co-operating with all Creatures , and by a perpetual influx and concourse actuating their natural Powers to perform their natural Actions ; that is , That we have our being in him , that we live , and move , and act in him , or by a new influx of power from him .