At the same time that our divines emphatically expatiate upon the
goodness of Providence, while they exhort us to repose our confidence
in her, do we not hear them, at the sight of unforeseen catastrophes,
exclaim, that _Providence sports with the vain projects of man_,
that she frustrates their designs, that she laughs at their efforts,
that profound wisdom delights to bewilder the minds of mortals?
But, shall we put confidence in a malignant Providence, who laughs at,
and sports with mankind? How will one admire the unknown ways of
a hidden wisdom, whose manner of acting is inexplicable? Judge of
it by effects, you will say. We do; and find, that these effects
are sometimes useful, and sometimes hurtful.

Men think they justify Providence, by saying, that, in this world,
there is much more good than evil to every individual of mankind.
Supposing the good, we enjoy from Providence, is to the evil, as
a _hundred to ten_; will it not still follow, that, for a hundred
degrees of goodness, Providence possesses ten of malignity; which
is incompatible with the supposed perfection of the divine nature.

Almost all books are filled with the most flattering praises of
Providence, whose attentive care is highly extolled. It would
seem as if man, to live happily here below, needed not his own
exertions. Yet, without his own labour, man could subsist hardly
a day. To live, he is obliged to sweat, toil, hunt, fish, and
labour without intermission. Without these second causes, the
first cause, at least in most countries, would provide for none
of our wants. In all parts of the globe, we see savage and
civilized man in a perpetual struggle with Providence. He is
necessitated to ward off the strokes directed against him by
Providence, in hurricanes, tempests, frosts, hail-storms,