20 8 The consequences of the

thus, upon this consideration, that whereas

it contains an observation both new, I think, and solid'Our Writers who argue from the beauty of nature , themotions and changes in the world being governed by cer~tain fiated laws, ought to Jhew the use ofsuch laws, andcf that cons ancy which in some particular cafes is noxious•And this I take to be the use of it, that free agents couldhave no foresight or judgment without this cons ancy. Therewould be without this no choice or pursuit, because therewould he no course of things. Indeed, if we should sop'pose a contrary method to obtain, and pursue the conse'quences of that, in the view which this excellent remarkopens to us; what fear and irresolution, what disappoint'ment, confusion, and final disorder might we not ap-prehend in all human affairs! How much are we indebtedto Providence for appointing and keeping up a constant na-tural course of things, at the fame time perhaps thatare inwardly murmuring, that he doth not change thatcourse in our particular behalf! If the course of nature,and the stated laws of things, were to be suspended, ° raltered, in behalf of every particular, and according t0our short-sighted views of things; what contrarieties*absurdities, impossibilities, must the Deity perform £0please us all! W e should have heat, cold-, plenty, fcarcitf*itsc. all at once; and the frame of nature must yield £ ®execute our revenge. Now whatever inconvenience w'O uhappen, in complying with our unreasonable demandsto all besides ourselves, the fame would happen to a *if the settled course of nature were suddenly interrupts ’

or had no regularity in it, even though no body deed it should be thus. So impossible is it to mendicnfitution of things f