252 
THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY. 
The observations here made are equally applicable to 
plants; but, I think, unnecessary to be pursued. 
It is a very striking circumstance, and alone sufficient to 
prove all which we contend for, that in this part likewise 
of organized nature, we perceive a continuation of the sex¬ 
ual system. 
Certain however it is, that the whole argument for the 
divine unity, goes no farther than to a unity of counsel. 
It may likewise be acknowledged, that no arguments 
which we are in possession of, exclude the ministry of sub¬ 
ordinate agents. If such there be, they act under a pre¬ 
siding, a controlling will; because they act according to 
certain general restrictions, by certain common rules, and, 
as it should seem, upon a general plan: but still such 
agents, and different ranks, and classes, and degrees of 
them, may be employed. 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY. 
The proof of the divine goodness rests upon two proposi¬ 
tions, each, as we contend, capable of being made out by 
observations drawn from the appearances of nature. 
The first is, “that in a vast plurality of instances in 
which contrivance is perceived, the design of the contri¬ 
vance is beneficial.” 
The second, “that the Deity has superadded pleasure 
to animal sensations, beyond what was necessary for any 
other purpose, or when the purpose, so far as it was neces¬ 
sary, might have been effected by the operation of pain.” 
First, “ in a vast plurality of instances in which contri¬ 
vance is perceived, the design of the contrivance is bene¬ 
ficial” 
No productions of nature display contrivance so mani¬ 
festly as the parts of animals; and the parts of animals have 
all of them, I believe, a real, and, with very few exceptions, 
all of them a known and intelligible, subserviency to the 
use of the animal. Now, when the multitude of animals is 
considered, the number of parts in each, their figure and 
fitness, the faculties depending upon them, the variety of 
species, the complexity of structure, the success, in so 
many cases, and felicity of the result, we can never reflect, 
without the profoundest adoration, upon the character of 
