A golden age would to man be more poifonous than Pandora's box; a gift, sweet

in

on by infatiable avarice, and blinded by ambition fill more infatiable, he banishes from his breast every sentiment of humanity, and, eager for the deftruction of his fellow-creatures, in effect deftroys himself. When the days of blood and carnage are past, when the vapour of glory is diffipated, he looks around with a forrowful eye upon the defolated earth, he fees the arts extinct, the nations difperfed, and population dead: his happiness is ruined, and his power is reduced to nothing. Great God! whofe fole prefence fuftains the "creative power, and rules the harmony of nature's ❝ laws! who from thy permanent celeftial throne "beholdeft the, motion of the nether fpheres, all-per"fect in their course which knows no change; who "broughteft from out the womb of reft by endless re

production those never-ceafing movements; who ru" left in peace the infinity of worlds: Eternal God! "vouchfafe at length to fend a portion of that hea"venly peace to calm the agitated earth. Let every "tumult cease: at thy celeftial voice, no more be "heard around the proud and clamorous fhouts of "war and difcord. All bounteous Creator! Author "of being each object of thy works partakes of thy "paternal care; but chief of all, thy chofen creature Thou haft bestowed on him a ray of thine "immortal light: O deign to crown that gift, by pe"netrating his heart with a portion of thy love. Soon "will that heavenly fentiment, pervading his nature, "reconcile each warring and contradictory principle: "man will no longer dread the fight of man: the murdering blade will fleep within its fheath: the

"man.

in the mouth, but bitter, bitter, in the ftomach. Let us then forbear repining; for the fubject before us must afford conviction, if any thing can, that our best course is to fubmit humbly to whatever befals, and to rest satisfied, that the world is governed by wisdom, not by chance. What can be expected of barbarians, but utter ignorance of Providence, and of divine government? But, as men ripen in the knowledge of caufes and effects, the benevolence as well as wifdom of a fuperintending Being become more and more apparent. How pleafing is that obfervation! Beautiful final caufes without num

:

ber

"fire of war will ceafe to dry up the fprings of gene"ration the human race, now languifhing and wi"thering in the bloom, will bud afresh, and multiply : "nature, which now finks beneath the scourge of mi"fery, fterile and defolated, will foon renew her wasted "ftrength, and regain her firft ferility. We, O God " of benevolence, we thy creatures will fecond the "bleffing. It will be ours to bestow on the earth that "culture which best can aid her fruitfulness; and we "will pay to thee the most acceptable of facrifices, in "endless gratitude and adoration."

How natural is this prayer; how unnatural the state thus anxiously requested? M. Buffon's devotional fits are fervent pity it is, that they are not better directed.

ber have been difcovered in the material as well as moral world, with respect to many particulars that once appeared dark and gloomy. Many continue to have that appearance; but, with respect to fuch, is it too bold to maintain, that an argument from ignorance, a flender argument at any rate, is altogether infufficient in judging of divine government? How falutary is it for man, and how comfortable, to rest on the faith, that whatever is, is the best!

SKETCH II.

General View of Government.

HE progrefs of government, accurate

TH

ly delineated, would produce a great volume in the prefent work there is room but for a few hints. What are the qualities that fit men for fociety, is explained above; but writers are far from being unanimous about what fits them for government. All agree, that fubmiffion to our governors is a duty: but they appear to be at a loss upon what foundation to reft that duty; as if it were not evident, that, by our nature, we are fitted for government as well as for fociety (a). If justice or veracity be effential to fociety, fubmiffion to government is no less fo; and each of thefe equally is declared by the moral sense to be our duty. But, to qualify man for government, the duty of fubmiffion is not alone fufficient: diverfity of temper, and of talents, are also

(a) Principles of Equity, p. 177. edit. 2.

neceffary;

neceffary; and accordingly it is fo ordered by Providence, that there are never wanting, in any fociety, men who are qualified to lead, as well as men who are difpofed to follow. Where a number of people convene for any purpose, fome will naturally affume authority without the formality of election, and the reft will as naturally fubmit. A regular government, founded on laws, was probably not thought of, till people had frequently fuffered by vicious governors *.

During the infancy of national focieties, government is extremely fimple; and no less mild than fimple. No individual is, by nature, entitled to exercife magifterial authority over his fellows; for no individual is born with any mark of

* At first, when a certain regimen was one approved, it may be that all was permitted to the wisdom and difcretion of those who were to rule; till, by expe. rience, this was found very inconvenient, fo as the thing devised for a remedy did increase the fore which it should have cured. They faw," that, to live by "one man's will became the cause of all men's mifery.” This constrained them to come into laws, wherein all men might fee their duty beforehand, and know the penalties of tranfgreffing them; Hooker's Eccl. Pol. l. 1. $ 10.