II.

reach so that by the proper use of their own SER M. powers they may attain it; and at the fame time they have a sufficient direction as to the manner of attaining it ;) if, I fay, these things be fo, and this apparently prevalent in the conftitution of nature, and the adminiftration of providence, as far as our knowledge extends, then we do justly infer, that the author of nature and governor of the world is good or benevolent.

It is true indeed that a vaft variety of creatures in the universe are not proper objects of beneficence, and therefore the manifeftation of this, is not altogether fo extensive as of the other divine attributes. In all the kinds of inanimate things, from the most magnificent celestial orbs to the lowest pebble or grain of fand on the earth, the wisdom and power of the creator are difplay'd; but they are capable of no enjoyment, and confequently the goodness of God can no otherwise properly be faid to be manifefted in them, than as they are the means of happiness to fenfitive or intelligent beings. But as we cannot certainly know, that any part of the universe is wholly uninhabited by living creatures; and as its principal parts and appearances have an evident relation to life, and are useful to its preservation and entertainment; fo this fy

SERM. ftem which we are beft acquainted with, II. would be but very imperfectly understood,

and a wrong judgment made of it, if it were confidered only as dead nature; as a curious fabric indeed, but unrelated to, and not made for the use of the animated kinds which dwell in it, and which we cannot avoid thinking to be a fuperior and more perfect rank of beings. As for the earth, it seems to have been chiefly intended as a dwelling-place for animals, and all its parts and productions principally defigned for their conveniency. We cannot take upon us fo peremptorily to judge, what the main ends are of those moving globes in our heavens, which do all of them, in common with this terreftrial one, partake of the vital heat and light of the fun; and which, tho' appearing to our naked eyes very fmall because of their diftance, are really of a vast magnitude. It is not improbable, that as they seem to be well fitted for it by their fituation, they are inhabited by rational creatures who there celebrate the praises of their maker, and pay him their homage, being, as we are, the monuments of his bounty. But however that be, we reasonably conclude, that the ufes which we fee fome of the far diftant orbs do ferve, those the wife author of nature defigned they fhould ferve: And

if they are of great importance to animal SER M. and intelligent beings, he is good in appoint- II. ing them for fuch ufes. Efpecially the fun, that glorious orb, the perpetual fource of light and warmth, tho' it may answer ends above our comprehenfion, and may be fitted to other parts of the world in the fame way it is to this we live on, or in different ways; yet upon the partial view we have of it, and of its various usefulness to the inhabitants of the earth, we reasonably judge that it is defigned to be beneficial; and that therefore the maker of it is beneficent.

From what has been faid, it appears that one proper illustration of the present subject will be, by confidering the vifible frame of inanimate nature which falls within our obser-` vation, and its most obvious appearances, as they relate to animal and rational life, which afford us a ftrong convincing evidence of the Creator's bounty. It has been obferved on another occafion, that the apparent relation between the parts of the mundane system, particularly the conftant conveyance of light and heat from the fun to the earth, caufing fuch a variety of productions on its furface, and of fo manifold use to its inhabitants that we cannot conceive how they could poffibly fubfift without them, (which light and heat

SER M.are fo conveniently distributed by means of II. the daily and annual revolutions, that all parts

of our globe, have, in their turns, fuch fupplies as are neceffary for the living creatures which dwell in them,) it has, I fay, been obferved, that this is a clear evidence of defign in the frame of the world. But the fame argument as fully proves good defign; that is, a defign of doing good to a multitude of sensitive and intelligent beings. Will we call a man beneficent who employs his time, his labour, and treasure, for relieving the indigent, for preferving life, and rendering it comfortable? And fhall we not acknowledge him a kind and generous Being, who has fo con-trived the fabric of the world, and fo conftantly directs its regular motions, that by them all the fpecies of living creatures upon the earth, and mankind at the head of them, are daily nourished, and have a vast variety of enjoyment? The uniform appearance which there is in the face of nature, and the conftant course it keeps, makes the continual, intelligent, and beneficent direction of its author, to be overlooked by thofe ungrateful and unthoughtful mortals, who ftupidly attribute the benefits they conftantly receive, to a kind of undefigning neceffity; whereas to an attentive mind, the power of God appears as much in

the

the ordinary works of nature, as in the moft S ERM. miraculous interpofitions. His bounty ap- II. pears by its conftant, yet voluntary communication; fo much the more to be admired, because thus it is manifefted to be a neverfailing principle: And the fun's vifiting the earth every day, is a daily fresh instance of his favour; the suspension whereof, for a very short time, which he could as easily effect, (and goodness only prevents it,) would involve all the animals of the earth in the utmost horror, nay inevitable ruin.

Again; if we look into the constitution of this lower world itself, which can only be attributed to the will of the wife Creator as its cause, it will lead us by the fame fort of reafoning to the acknowledgment of his liberality. There is an admirable correspondence between the parts of the terraqueous globe, whereby it is made a convenient habitation for the various tribes of animals which it fuftains. The thin fluid that furrounds it is immediately neceffary to the preservation of their lives, by breathing, as well as for the tranfmiffion of light, and nourishing warmth from the fun: Its folid parts fupport heavy living bodies; and it is every where fo well fupplied with water in perpetual courfes, and by refreshing showers, as to anfwer fufficiently,