THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY. 
285 
world, all conduce to the well going on of human affairs, 
just as the rudder, the sails, and the ballast of a ship, all 
perform their part in the navigation. Now, since these 
characters require for their foundation different original 
talents, different dispositions, perhaps also different bodily 
constitutions; and since, likewise, it is apparently expe¬ 
dient, that they be promiscuously scattered amongst the 
different classes of society; can the distribution of talents, 
dispositions, and the constitutions upon which they depend, 
be better made than by chance ? 
The opposites of apparent chance are, constancy and 
sensible interposition; every degree of secret direction be¬ 
ing consistent with it. Now, of constancy, or of fixed and 
known rules, we have seen in some cases the inapplicabili¬ 
ty; and inconveniences which we do not see, might attend 
their application in other cases. 
Of sensible interposition we may be permitted to remark, 
that a Providence, always and certainly distinguishable, 
would be neither more nor less than miracles rendered fre¬ 
quent and common. It is difficult to judge of the state 
into which this would throw us. It is enough to say, that 
it would cast us upon a quite different dispensation from 
that under which we live. It would be a total and radical 
change. And the change would deeply affect, or per¬ 
haps subvert, the whole conduct of human affairs. I can 
readily believe, that, other circumstances being adapted to 
it, such a state might be better than our present state. 
It may be the state of other beings; it may be ours hereaf¬ 
ter. But the question with which we are now concerned 
is, how far it would be consistent with our condition, sup¬ 
posing it in other respects to remain as it is? And in this 
question there seems to be reasons of great moment on the 
negative side. For instance; so long as bodily laboi 
continues, on so many accounts, to be necessary for the 
bulk of mankind, any dependency upon supernatural aid, 
by unfixing those motives which promote exertion, or by 
relaxing those habits which engender patient industry, 
might introduce negligence, inactivity, and disorder, into 
the most useful occupations of human life; and thereby 
deteriorate the condition of human life itself. 
As moral agents, we should experience a still greater 
alteration; of which more will be said under the next 
article. 
Although therefore the Deity, who possesses the power 
of winding and turning, as he pleases, the course of causes 
