THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY. 
257 
blessings, we think forthwith of successes, of prosperous 
tortunes, of honors, riches, preferments, i. e. of those ad¬ 
vantages and superiorities over others, which we happen 
either to possess, or to be in pursuit of, or to covet. The 
common benefits of our nature entirely escape us. Yet 
these are the great things. These constitute what most 
properly ought to be accounted blessings of Providence; 
what alone, if we might so speak, are worthy of its care. 
Nightly rest and daily bread, the ordinary use of our limbs, 
a?id senses, and understandings, are gifts which admit of no 
comparison with any other. Yet, because almost every 
man we meet with possesses these, we leave them out of 
our enumeration. They raise no sentiment: they move no 
gratitude. Now herein is our judgment perverted by our 
selfishness. A blessing ought in truth to be the more sat¬ 
isfactory, the bounty at least of the donor is rendered more 
conspicuous, by its very diffusion, its commonness, its cheap¬ 
ness; by its falling to the lot, and forming the happiness, 
of the great bulk and body of our species, as well as of our¬ 
selves. Nay, even when we do not possess it, it ought to 
be matter of thankfulness that others do. But we have a 
different way of thinking. We court distinction. That 
is not the worst; we see nothing but what has distinc¬ 
tion to recommend it. This necessarily contracts our 
views of the Creator’s beneficence within a narrow com¬ 
pass; and most unjustly. It is in those things which are so 
common as to be no distinction, that the amplitude of the 
divine benignity is perceived. 
But pain, no doubt, and privations exist, in numerous 
instances, and to a degree, which, collectively, would be 
very great, if they were compared with any other thing than 
with the mass of animal fruition. For the application, 
therefore, of our proposition to that mixed state of things 
which these exceptions induce, two rules are necessary, and 
both, I think, just and fair rules. One is, that we regard 
those effects alone which are accompanied with proofs of 
intention: The other, that when we cannot resolve all ap¬ 
pearances into benevolence of design, we make the few 
give place to the many; the little to the great; that we take 
our judgment from a large and decided preponderancy, if 
there be one. 
I crave leave to transcribe into this place, what I have 
said upon this subject in my Moral Philosophy:— 
“ When God created the human species, either he wish¬ 
ed their happiness, or he wished their misery, or he was 
indifferent and unconcerned about either. 
X* 
