41² A View of ibe DEis TicAL Writers. Let. 24.
Our author indeed ſometimes declares, that“he neither *eaffirms nor denies particular providences k.“ And after hav- ing obſerved, that there is little credit to be given to the reports concerning particular acts of providence, wrought on particular occaſions, he adds, that“ yet he will not preſume to deny, *„*that there have been any ſuch 1.“ He makes the ſame decla- ration afterwards towards the end of his book m. But not- withſtanding theſe profeſſions, it is a point that he hath very much laboured to deſtroy the belief of a particular providence. This is the expreſs deſign of ſeveral of his fragments and eſſays in the fifth volume of his works; eſpecially of the fifty-fifth, fifty-ſixth, fifty-ſeventh, ſixty-ſecond, and ſixty- fourth of thoſe Eſſays; in all which he argues directly, and in ſome of them largely, againſt that doctrine. And after having obſerved, that what we find in the booh f nature is undoubtedhy the word gf Gocd, he aſſerts, that“there we ſhall find no foundation for „the ſcheme of a particular providence n.“ He declares indeed „that he will not be ſo uncharitable as to ſay, that divines „mean to blaſpheme[in their doctrine of a particular provi- ꝗdence],“ yet that this he will take upon him to ſay, that he Who follows them cannot avoid preſumption and profane- *néſs, and muſt be much on his guard againſt blaſphemy ¹.“
That I may obſerve ſome order in my reflections upon this ſubject, I ſhall firſt offer ſome obſervations for ſtating the right notion of divine providence, and what we are to underſtand by a particular providence. And then ſhall proceed to ſhew the abſurdity and ill conſequences of the author's ſcheme. And laſtly confider the arguments he hath urged in ſupport of it, and the objections he hath made againſt the doctrine of a par- ticular providence.
By the doctrine of providence I underſtand the doctrine of an all-perfect mind, preſerving and governing the vaſt univerſe in all its parts, preſiding over all the creatures, eſpecially rational moral agents, inſpecting their conduct, and ſuperintending and ordering the events reſating to them, in the beſt and fitteſt manner, with infinite wiſdom, righteoufneſs, and equity. And ſuch a providence cannot reaſonably be denied by thoſe, who believe that the world was originally formed by a moſt wiſe and powerful and infinitely perfect Cauſe and Author. For whatever reaſons induced him to create the world, which may be juitly ſuppoſed to have been for the communications of his
X Vol. v. p. 413, 414. 1 Ibid p. 420. m Ibid. p- 546. n Ibid p. 471. 2 Ibid. p. 464.
goodneſs,