Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

1. In the linking contrary qualities together. All things are compounded of the Elements. Those are endued with contrary qualities, dryness and moisture, heat and cold. These would always be contending with and infesting one another's rights, till the contest ended in the destruction of one or both. Where fire is predominant, it would suck up the water; where water is prevalent, it would quench the fire. The heat would wholly expel the cold, or the cold over-power the heat. Yet we see them chained and linked one within another in every body upon the Earth, and rendering mutual offices for the benefit of that body wherein they are seated, and all conspiring together in their particular quarrels for the public interest of the body. How could those contraries that of themselves observe no order, that are always preying upon one another, jointly accord together of themselves, for one common end, if they were not linked in a common band, and reduced to that order by some incomprehensible wisdom and power, which keeps a hand upon them, orders their motions and directs their events, and makes them friendly pass into one another's Natures? Confusion had been the result of the discord and diversity of their Natures. No composition could have been of those conflicting qualities for the frame of any body, nor any harmony arose from so many jarring strings, if they had not been reduced, into concord by one that is supreme Lord over them, and knows how to dispose their varieties and enmities for the public good.^* If a man should see a large City or Country consisting of great multitudes of men of different tempers, full of Frauds and Factions and Animosities in their natures against one another, yet living together in good order and peace, without oppressing and invading one another and joining together for the public good; he would presently conclude, there were some excellent Governor, who tempered them by his Wisdom, and preserved the public Peace, though he had never yet beheld him with his eye. Tis as necessary to conclude a God, who moderates the contrarieties in the world; as to conclude a wise Prince who overrules the contrary dispositions in a state, making every one to keep his own bounds and confines. Things that are contrary to one another subsist in an admirable order.

1. In the linking contrary qualities together. All things are compounded of the Elements. Those are endued with contrary qualities, driness and moisture, heat and cold. These would always be contending with and infesting one anothers rights, till the contest ended in the destruction of one or both. Where fire is predominant, it would suck up the water; where water is prevalent, it would quench the fire. The heat would wholly expel the cold, or the cold over-power the heat. Yet we see them chained and linkt one within another in every body upon the Earth, and rendring mutual offices for the benefit of that body wherein they are seated, and all conspiring together in their particular quarrels for the publick interest of the body. How could those contraries that of themselves observe no order, that are always preying upon one another, joyntly accord together of themselves, for one common end, if they were not linkt in a common band, and reduced to that order by some incomprehensible wisdom and power, which keeps a hand upon them, orders their motions and directs their events, and makes them friendly pass into one anothers Natures? Confusion had been the result of the discord and diversity of their Natures. No composition could have been of those conflicting qualities for the frame of any body, nor any harmony arose from so many jarring strings, if they had not been reduced, into concord by one that is supream Lord over them, and knows how to dispose their varieties and enmities for the publick good.