330 A Sermon on Occafön of a public Fail. SERM. and goodnefs ; in other words, God is the XIII. intelligent and moral Governor of the uni- "V" verfe. How (hall this be reconciled to the obfer- vation juft now made from Solomon, and con- firmed by experience, that there is one event to the good and to the bad ? Doth not moral government require that there fhould be a difference made in the Bate of moral agents, according to their charaders, their prevailing difpofitions, and the courfe of their beha- viour ? The anfwer is, that tho' the govern- ment of this world be really moral, yet it is but imperfe ±ly fo ; rather, the frate of man- kind here being impeded and probationary, the divine adminiftration of it is only part of the grand fcheme which (hall be compleated hereafter, when the moral perfeEtions of the great Ruler shall be more fully manifefted. Juftice and goodnefs are principles of aErion in a wife agent, which do not neceffarily ex- ert themfelves at all times and in all circum- ftances the belt of human governments find it convenient fometimes to delay the diftri- bution of rewards and punifhments, and the public good requires them to do fo, that by taking a more proper .feafon, the end may be better obtained In like manner, God, who
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