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LETTER XIX.

On Providence.

ALTHOUGH great confusion and uncertainty were evinced in the notions both of the vulgar and the philosophic ancient Pagans, with regard to the unceasing superintending providence of one or more superior beings; yet there were but few among them that positively and constantly denied that doctrine in every sense. Several of them doubted it in some of their speculations; others fancied that the Deity, by intermeddling with human concerns would degrade and pollute himself; but scarcely any of them ridiculed the notion, while some reasoned forcibly in favour of it, and derived from it consolation and delight. Thus Thales of Miletus taught that the world was the work of God, and that God sees and directs the most secret thoughts in the heart of man. Simplicius, the celebrated commentator on Aristotle, argued that if God do not look to the affairs of the world, it is either because he cannot, or will not: the first (said he) is absurd, since to govern cannot be difficult, where to create was easy; and the latter is most absurd and blasphemous. Theon, of Alexandria, taught that a full persuasion of God's seeing every thing we do is the strongest incentive to virtue; and represented this belief concerning the Deity as productive of the greatest pleasure imaginable, especially to the virtuous, who might depend with the greater confidence on the favour and protection of Providence: he recommended nothing so much as meditation on the presence of God; and he advised the civil magistrate, by way of restraint on such as were profane and wicked, to place in large characters at the corner of every street, this inscription-GOD SEES THEE, O SINNER! That great heathen emperor and philosopher, Marcus Antoninus, fully persuaded of the existence and government of God, maintained that the best thing for a man is that which God sends him, and

the best time that when he sends it; and so far was he from adopting the comfortless system now propagated by many professing Christians, as well as infidels, that notwithstanding he governed the greatest of all empires in the deepest calm, and commanded all the enjoyments that splendour, wealth, and regal dignity could furnish, even to a well-ordered mind, he still exclaimed, "What would it concern ME to live in a world void of God and without PROVIDENCE!"

How lamentable is the contrast between the sentiments of these heathens, immersed as they were in the grossest ignorance as to the fundamentals of religious truth, and those of the many who, though enjoying the full blaze of scientific and religious knowledge in a Christian country, ridicule this consoling doctrine. How strange, that while, conformably with the wise observation of Lord Bacon, "it is heaven upon earth to have a man's mind move in charity, rest in providence, and turn upon the poles of truth'," there should be found men of ingenuity and literature, who dazzle by their talents and delude by their wit, yet will boldly affirm " that the doctrine of the immediate and perpetual interference of Divine Providence, is not true,"and insinuate that it is "ridiculous, degrading,” and dangerous2.

In opposition to the assertion just quoted, I will venture to declare, and hope I shall be able to prove, that the doctrine of the particular, as well as that of the universal, Providence of God, is revealed clearly in Scripture, is confirmed by history, and is compatible with the established principles of philosophy.

Now, that the persuasion that the Providence of God extended to all times and places, and to every individual, was prevalent among the primitive Christians, is evident from the language of CECILIUS, a Roman lawyer, and then one of the most skilful opposers, though he became a convert to the truth, by 1 Lord Bacon's Essay on Truth.

2 Edinburgh Review, vol. xi. pp. 356, 357.

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reason of his controversy with Octavius. He objected against them that they asserted a Providence as extending to the affairs and actions of men, and even to their most secret thoughts." He represented it as very absurd in them to believe that "their God, whom they can neither see nor show, inspects diligently into the manners of all men, into their actions, and even their words and hidden thoughts; and that he is every where present, troublesome, and impertinently busy and curious; since he interests himself in all things that are done, and thrusts himself into all places; whereas he can neither attend to every particular whilst he is employed about the whole; nor be able to take care of the whole, being occupied about particulars3."

Let me next select two or three passages to show that this notion of the early Christians was derived from the Bible. From the Old Testament I first quote part of the language of God to Job, in which he asserts not only his power, but his providence. "Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters? or a way for the lightning of thunder, to cause it to rain on the earth? to satisfy the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth. Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew? Who provideth for the raven his food1." David abounds with references to the providence of God. The eyes of all wait upon Thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. The Lord preserveth all them that love him; but all the wicked will he destroy." The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous. The Lord preserveth the strangers; He relieveth the fatherless and the widow; but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down." "He prepareth rain for the earth, he maketh grass to grow upon the mountains, 3 Min. Fel. p. 15. Edit. var. 1762.

4 Job, xxxviii, 25-27, 41,

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He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry."

Again, the prophet Ezekiel, in one of his delightful parables, where he describes the security, prosperity, and universality of the Messiah's kingdom, under the metaphor of a flourishing "branch," concludes by a forcible declaration of the minuteness as well as the extent of God's providence, still keeping up his allusion:-" And all the trees of the field shall know that I, THE LORD, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I, the Lord have spoken, and have done it."

Since, then, the Divine Being is "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever," without "variableness or shadow of turning," and since his Providence was constantly and universally manifested in the times of Moses, Job, David, Daniel, and Ezekiel; it would be absurd to imagine that it should now, or at any time, become dormant or partially evinced. But we need not stop here. The proofs from the New Testament might be extracted from almost every page. A few of them only I shall request you to consult on the present occasion. For declarations of the extent and universality of Providence read Matt. vi. 19—34; x. 29-31. Luke, xii. 6, 7, 22—31. That all things are fixed under its conduct, is declared in Acts, xvii. 26. Our entire dependence upon Providence is taught in James, iv. 13-17. And that it is most remarkably manifested in the care of good men, may be learnt from Acts, xxiii. 17-52; xxv. 4, 21-27; xxvi. 21, 22, 32. That we owe every thing which is conducive to life and piety to God's Providence, is taught by Peter, 2 Epis. i. 3; and by Paul in numerous places.

Indeed, the connexion established between piety and prayer, on which its growth depends, and the acknow

5 Ps. cxlv. 15, 16, 20; cxlvi. 8, 9; cxlvii. 8, 9.

6 Ezek. xvii. 24. See also Prov. xvi. 33. Dan. v. 29. Deut. xxxii. 39; and 1 Sam. ii. 6-9.

7 Heb. xiii. 8.

James, i. 17.

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ledgment of a particular Providence included in the performance of prayer, must with all considerate persons be decisive on this point. We are exhorted to "pray with the spirit, and the understanding also," to pray without ceasing," to "ask that we may receive," to "seek that we may find,” to “ knock that it may be opened to us:" we are told that "men ought always to pray, and not to faint;" that God "hears and answers prayer," that "all things whatsoever we ask in prayer, believing, we shall receive," &c. But unless the Supreme Being holds constant intercourse with his creatures; unless, as the Psalmist expresses it, “his ear is always open to their cry," and his hand” ready to be "stretched out" to assist those who trust in him, prayer is an absurdity: and Jesus and his apostles, in exhorting us to frequency and fervency in prayer, trifled with our wants and distresses, and urged us to render ourselves ridiculous by an indulgence in solemn mummery. Prayer obviously implies God's universal agency; that he is able to attend to the separate wants of each individual among the millions of his creatures, and ready to furnish his providential supplies as they are needed, and where they are solicited with a proper spirit.

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James, after assuring us that the " fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much," informs us that Elias was a man, subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months; and he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit." We also learn from the Pentateuch that, when God in his anger sent fire among the Israelites which consumed even "in the uttermost part of the camp," the people cried unto Moses and when Moses "prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched." Now on both these occasions the interposition of Providence was vouchsafed in answer

8 1 Cor. xiv. 15. Rom. v. 17. Matt. vii. 7. Luke, xviii. 1. Matt. xxi. 22, &c.

9 James, v. 16-18. 1 Kings, xvii. 1; xviii. 42-45. Num. xi. 2.