frame of nature; as in the fun, moon, and ftars; in the earth which we inhabit, and in the vegetables and animals which it contains, together with the powers of reason and understanding poffeffed by man, we cannot suppose any effect to which the divine power is not equal; and therefore we are authorised to say that it is infinite, or capable of producing any thing, that is not in its own nature impoffible; fo that whatever purposes the divine being forms, he is always able to execute.

The defigns of fuch a being as this, who cannot be controlled in the execution of any of his purposes, would be very obvious to to us if we could comprehend his works, or fee the iffue of them; but this we cannot do with respect to the works of God, which are both incomprehenfible by our finite understandings, and alfo are not yet compleated; for as far as they are subject to our inspection, they are evidently in a progress to fomething more perfect. Yet from the fubordinate parts of this great machine of the universe, which we can in fome measure VOL. I. understand,

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understand, and which are compleated; and alfo from the manifeft tendency of things, we may fafely conclude, that the great defign of the divine being, in all the works of his hands, was to produce happiness.

That the world is in a ftate of improvement is very evident in the human fpecies, which is the most diftinguished part of it. Knowledge, and a variety of improvements depending upon knowledge (all of which are directly or indirectly fubfervient to happinefs) have been increafing from the time of our earliest acquaintance with history to the prefent; and in the laft century this progrefs has been amazingly rapid. By means of increafing commerce, the valuable productions of the earth become more equally diftributed, and by improvements in agriculture they are continually multiplied, to the great advantage of the whole family of mankind.

It is partly in confequence of this improvement of the human fpecies, as we may call it, that the earth itself is in a state of improvement,

improvement, the cultivated parts continually gaining ground on the uncultivated ones; by which means, befides besides many other advantages, even the inclemencies of the weather are, in fome measure, leffened, and the world becomes a more healthy and pleafurable abode for its most important inhabitants. If things proceed as they have doné in these refpects, the earth will become a paradife, compared to what it was formerly, or with what it is at prefent.

It is a confiderable evidence of the goodnefs of God, that the inanimate parts of nature, as the furface of the earth, the air, water, falts, minerals, &c. are adapted to anfwer the purposes of vegetable and animal life, which abounds every where; and the former of these is evidently subservient to the latter; all the vegetables that we are acquainted with either directly contributing to the fupport of animal life, or being, in fome other way, useful to it; and all animals are furnished with a variety of appetites and powers, which continually prompt

them to feek, and enable them to enjoy fome kind of happiness.

It feems to be an evident argument that the author of all things intended the animal creation to be happy, that, when their powers are in their full ftrength, and exercife, they are always happy; health and enjoyment having a natural and neceffary connection through the whole fyftem of nature; whereas it can hardly be imagined, but that a malevolent being, or one who should have made creatures with a design to make them miferable, would have conftituted them fo, that when any creature was the most perfect, it would have been the most unhappy.

It agrees with the fuppofition of the benevolence of the divine being, that there is the most ample provifion made for the happiness of those creatures which are naturally capable of the most enjoyment, particularly the human species. We have a far greater variety and extent of powers, both of action

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and enjoyment, than any other inhabitants of the earth; and the world abounds with more fources of happiness to us than to any other order of beings upon it. So perfectly adapted are the inanimate, the vegetable, and the animal world to the occafions and purpofes of man, that we may almost say, that every thing was made for our ufe; and though there are both plants and animals, which, in fome applications, are noxious to us, yet, in time, we come to find out their ufes, and learn to avail ourselves of their extraordinary powers.

There are many things in the fyftem of nature, as tempefts, lightning, difeafes, and death, which greatly terrify and annoy us, and which are often the occafion of much pain and distress; but thefe evils are only partial; and when the whole system, of which they are a part, and a neceffary confequence, is confidered, it will be found to be, as far as we can judge, the beft, and the moft friendly to us upon the whole; and that no other general laws, which should obviate and exclude thefe evils, would have