AGENCY OF THE DEITY. 357 



whose office it is to search out these laws, is also 

 the view which, throughout this work, we have 

 endeavoured to keep present to the mind of the 

 reader. We have attempted to show that it 

 combines itself most readily and harmoniously 

 with the doctrines of Natural Theology ; that the 

 arguments for those doctrines are strengthened, 

 the difficulties which affect them removed, by 

 keeping it steadily before us. We conceive, 

 therefore, that the religious philosopher will do 

 well to bear this conception in his mind. God is 

 the author and governor of the universe through 

 the laws which he has given to its parts, the 

 properties which he has impressed upon its 

 constituent elements : these laws and properties 

 are, as we have already said, the instruments with 

 which he works : the institution of such laws, 

 the selection of the quantities which they involve 

 their combination and application, are the modes 

 in which he exerts and manifests his power, his 

 wisdom, his goodness : through these attributes, 

 thus exercised, the Creator of all, shapes, moves, 

 sustains and guides the visible creation. 



This has been the view of the relation of the 

 Deity to the universe entertained by the most 

 sagacious and comprehensive minds ever since 

 the true object of natural philosophy has been 

 clearly and steadily apprehended. The great 

 writer who was the first to give philosophers a 

 distinct and commanding view of this object, 



