Wesley Corpus

But this you cannot prove; may, none can doubt of his so working, who allows the Scripture to be of God. For this asserts, in the clearest and strongest terms, that “all things” (in nature) “serve him;” that (by or without a train of natural causes) He “sendeth his rain on the earth;” that He “bringeth the winds out of his treasures,” and “maketh a way for the lightning and the thunder;” in general, that “fire and hail, snow and vapour, wind and storm, fulfil his word.” Therefore, allowing there are natural causes of all these, they are still under the direc tion of the Lord of nature: Nay, what is nature itself, but the art of God, or God’s method of acting in the material world? True philosophy therefore ascribes all to God, and says, in the beautiful language of the wise and good man, Here like a trumpet, loud and strong, Thy thunder shakes our coast; While the red lightnings wave along, The banners of thy host. A Second objection to your answer is, It is extremely uncomfortable. For if things really be as you affirm; if all these afflictive incidents entirely depend on the fortuitous concourse and agency of blind, material causes; what hope, what help, what resource is left for the poor sufferers by them? Should the murrain among the cattle continue a few years longer, and consequently produce scarcity or famine, what will there be left for many of the poor to do, but to lie down and die? If tainted air spread a pestilence over our land, where shall they fly for succour? They cannot resist either the one or other; they cannot escape from them. And can they hope to appease Illachrymabilem Plutona 3 Inexorable Pluto, king of shades 2 Shall they intreat the famine or the pestilence to show mercy? Alas! they are as senseless as you suppose God to be. However, you who are men of fortune can shift tolerably well, in spite of these difficulties. Your money will undoubt edly procure you food as long as there is any in the kingdom. And if your Physicians cannot secure you from the epidemic disease, your coaches can carry you from the place of infec tion. Be it so: But you are not out of all danger yet, unless you can drive faster than the wind. Are you sure of this?