whole, but to take care of thofe Particulars who make the whole. To talk of a general Providence, without God's Care and Government of every Particular Creature, is manifeftly unreasonable and abfurd; for whatever Reafons oblige us to own a Providence, oblige us to own a Particular Providence.

If Creation be a Reason why God fhould preserve and take care of what he has made, this is a Reason why he fhould take care of every Creature, because there is no Creature but what he made; and if the whole World confifts of Particulars, it must be taken care of in the care of Particulars; for if all Particulars perish, as they may do if no care be taken to preferve them, the whole muft perish.

And there is the fame Reafon for the Government of Mankind; for the Whole is governed in the Government of the Parts; and Mankind can't be well governed, without the Wife Government of every particular Man.

I'm fure that the Objections against a Particular Providence are very foolish. Some think it too much trouble to God to take care of every particular; as if it were more trouble to him to take care of them, than it was to make them ; or as if God had more Creatures than he could take care of; as if an Infinite Mind, and Omnipotent Power, were as much difturbed and tired with various and perpetual Cares, as we are. Others think it below the Greatness and Majefty of God, to take cognizance of every mean and contemptible Creature, or of every private Man as if it were more below God to take care of fuch Creatures, than it is to make them; as if numbers made Creatures confiderable to God; that tho' one Man is below God's Care, yet a G Kingdom

Kihgdom is worthy of his Care and Notice ; when the whole World to God is but as the drop of the bucket, and the small duft of the balance.

Now it is certain there can be no particular Providence, without God's Government of all Events: For if any Good or Evil happens to any Man without God's Order and Appointment, that is not Providence, whatever other Name you will give it: So that if God does take a particular Care of all his Creatures, this is a Demonftration that he has the Abfolute Government of all Events, for without it he cannot take care of them; and if God have the Government of all Events, as the Scripture affures us he has, this confirms us in the belief of a particular Providence; for if all the Good or Evil that happens to every particular Man is appointed by God, that is Proof enough that God takes Care of every particular Man. God's Government of all particular Events, and his Care of all Individuals, include each other in their very Natures: The Care of particular Creatures confifts in the Government of all particular Events; and the Government of all Events, is the Exercise of a particular Providence; as our Saviour represents it, 10. Matth. 29, 30, 31. Are not two Sparrows fold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbred. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many Sparrows. Where God's particular Providence over all his Creatures is expreffed by his particular Care of all Events; which extends even to the Life of a Sparrow, and to the Hairs of our Heads.

Thus much is certain, That without this belief, That God takes a particular Care of all his Creatures, in the Government of all Events that

can

can happen to them; there is no Reafon or Pretence for moft of the particular Duties of Religious Worship. For moft of the Acts of Worship confider God, not merely as an Univerfal Cause, (could we form any Notion of a general Providence without any Care of particular Creatures, or particular Events) but as our particular Patron, Protector, and Preferver.

To fear God, and to ftand in awe of his Juftice; to trust and depend on him in all Conditions; to submit patiently to his Will under all Afflictions; to pray to him for the supply of our Wants, for the relief of our Sufferings, for Protection and Defence; to love and praife him for the Bleffings we enjoy, for Peace, and Plenty, and Health, for Friends and Benefactors, and all profperous Succeffes: I fay, these are not the Acts of Reasonable Men, unless we believe that God has the Supreme Disposal of all Events, and takes a particular Care of us. For if any Good or Evil can befal us without God's particular Order and Appointment, we have no Reason to truft in God who does not always take Care of us; we have no reason to bear our Sufferings patiently at God's Hands, and in Submiffion to his Will; for we know not whether our Sufferings be God's Will or not; we have no reason to Love and Praife God for every Bleffing and Deliverance we receive, becaufe we know not whether it came from God; and it is to no purpose to pray to God for particular Bleffings, if he does not concern himself in particular Events: But if we believe that God takes a particular Care of us all, and that no Good or Evil happens to us but as he pleases; all thefe Acts of Religious Worship are both Reasonable, Neceffary, and Juft. But of this more hereafter. СНАР.

G 2

CHA P. IV.

Concerning the Sovereignty of Providence.

HA

Aving in the former Chapter fhewn, That the Government of the Divine Providence confifts in Over-ruling and Difpofing all Events: For the better understanding of this, and to prevent a great many ignorant Objections against it, befides what I have already faid, it will be neceffary more particularly to explain the Nature and Effential Characters and Properties of God's governing Providence. And I shall begin with

1. The Sovereignty of Providence. For God being the Sovereign Lord of the World, muft Govern with a Sovereign Will; for a Sovereign Lord is a Sovereign and Abfolute Governor. For which reafon the Scripture so often refolves all things into the fole will and pleasure of God; and in many cafes will allow us to feek for no other Cause. He doth according to bis will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth. Whatever the Lord pleafed, that did he in heaven and in earth; in the feas, and all deep places.

4. Dan. 35. 135. Pfal.6.

That the Will of God is Sovereign, and Abfolute, and Unaccountable, needs no other Proof, but that his Power is Abfolute, and his Wifdom Unfearchable; for Abfolute Power makes an Abfolute Will. He who has Power to do whatever he will, can do whatever he will; and that

9. Job 4.

is the definition of a Sovereign and Absolute Will. And thus the Scripture refolves the Sovereignty of God into Power: That none can stay his hand, or fay unto him what doft thou? He is wife in heart, and mighty in strength: who bath hardened himself against him and bath profpered?

And indeed a Power which is Supreme and Abfolute, which can do all things, and which has no greater Power above it, none equal to it, has a right to Sovereignty. For Abfolute Power must be the Maker of all things, and that muft give an Abfolute Right to all things; and that gives a Right to Abfolute Government, if there be any fuch thing as a Natural Right to Government; for if God have a Natural Right to Govern his Creatures, he must have a Right to Abfolute Government; because the Right he has in his Creatures is Abfolute and Uncontroulable. No Creature has fuch an Abfolute Power, and therefore no Creature has fuch a Sovereign and Abfolute Will neither: For how Powerful foever any Man is, God is more Powerful than he, and can call him to an account; and no Power, no Will which can be checked, and controul'd, and called to an account, is perfectly Abfolute.

And as Abfolute Power makes the Divine Providence Abfolute and Unaccountable, fo does perfect and unerring Wifdom; but for a very different Reafon: Abfolute Power has no Superior Power to give Laws to it, and to call it to an account: Perfect and Unerring Wifdom has no Superior Wifdom to take an account, or to judge of its Actions; nothing can judge of Wifdom, but Wifdom; and an Inferior cannot comprehend a Superior Wifdom; efpecially when G 3

there