"ought be refigned to Providence, LET. "and that the actions of men are the

66

operations of the Almighty as much "as the actions of inanimate beings?" Certainly they are all under his direction-and now again for the infe

rence

"When I fall upon my own fword, "THEREFORE, I receive my death. equally from the hands of the Deity, “ as if it had proceeded from a lion, "a precipice, or a fever."

That is, because I must be refigned to God's Providence, when, in the course of his difpenfations, my life is taken from me, therefore-I may kill myself. This is an argal that would have difgraced the gravedigger in Hamlet-In the one inftance we employ our utmost exertions to preserve

V.

LET. life; in the other, we ourselves de

V.

ftroy it. But it is faid,

P. 13. "If my life be not my own, "it were criminal for me to put it in

danger, as well as to difpofe of it."

When it pleases God to call for life, in the way of duty, it muft willingly be facrificed. But fuicide never lies in the way of duty. And no two cafes can be more effentially different, than that of the bero who dies in the cause of his country, his king, or his God, and that of the wretch, who through pride, impatience, and cowardice, lays violent hands upon himself. Attempt not, for the credit of philosophy, to confound the two characters; for heaven and hell are not farther afunder.

P. 14" There is no being-which "by ever fo irregular an action can "encroach

1

"encroach upon the plan of the Crea"tor's providence, or diforder the "universe. It's operations are his "works equally with that chain of " events which it invades, and which"ever principle prevails, we may for "that very reafon conclude it to be "moft favoured by him."

Rare news for pickpockets, profligates, and cut-throats!-A lady has paid a visit to a neighbour, and in the evening is returning to her home, which, according to the natural "chain of events," she should reach in peace and quietnefs. But a man, exercising the powers with which "his Creator has invefted him,” ravishes, robs, and murders her. This is the "irregular action, which in"vades the chain." Be of good courage, my Boy! "It's operations are

06

G

"equally

LET.

V.

LET.

V.

equally the works of God with the "chain of events invaded by it, and "whichever principle prevails, we r may for that very reafon con"clude it to be the most favoured 66 by him."-" God fees no fin in his "elect," fays the fanatic: but according to the new philofophy, God fees no fin, (for if this mode of reafoning be juft, there neither is nor can be fin) in any man.

P. 14. "When the horror of pain prevails over the love of life; when "a voluntary action anticipates the "effects of blind caufes, it is only "in confequence of thofe powers and principles which he (the fupreme "Creator) has implanted in his creatures."

Does not the argument prove too much? May not the fame be faid of number

V.

numberless defires which arife in the LET. heart of man, as at prefent circumftanced, and which, according to all the rules of true philofophy, as well as true religion, ought to be controuled and overruled by a fuperior principle? Will not the fame plea be as valid in the cafe of him who finds himself ftrongly excited to revenge, to intemperance, to luft, &c. &c. &c. as of him who is tempted to destroy himself? All, it may be faid, happens "in confequence of those powers and principles implanted in us." The

૮.

truth is, that human actions must be directed, because they will be judged, by other measures than our pains or our pleasures. On one fide is my propensity; on the other, the law of God. Can it be a matter of indifference, which of the two prevails? G 2 Accord