Wesley Corpus

Why should we not now, before London is as Lisbon, Lima, or Catanea, acknowlcdge the hand of the Almighty, arising to maintain his own cause? Why, we have a general answer always ready, to screen us from any such conviction: “All these things are purely natural and accidental; the result of natural causes.” But there are two objections to this answer: First, it is untrue: Secondly, it is uncomfortable. First. If by affirming, “All this is purely natural,” you mean, it is not providential, or that God has nothing to do with it, this is not true, that is, supposing the Bible to be true. For supposing this, you may descant ever so long on the natural causes of murrain, winds, thunder, lightning, and yet you are altogether wide of the mark, you prove nothing at all, unless you can prove that God never works in or by natural causes. 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?