Such is the uneven state of human life; and it afforded me a great many curious speculations afterwards, when I had a little recovered my first surprise. I considered that this was the station of life the infinitely wise and good providence of God had determined for me; that as I could not foresee what the ends of Divine wisdom might be in all this, so I was not to dispute His sovereignty; who, as I was His creature, had an undoubted right, by creation, to govern and dispose of me absolutely as He thought fit; and who, as I was a creature that had offended Him, had likewise a judicial right to condemn me to what punishment He thought fit; and that it was my part to submit to bear His indignation, because I had sinned against Him.
Voilà les vicissitudes de la vie humaine, voilà ce qui me donna de nombreux et de curieux sujets de méditation quand je fus un peu revenu de ma première stupeur.--Je considérai alors que c'était l'infiniment sage et bonne providence de Dieu qui m'avait condamné à cet état de vie; qu'incapable de pénétrer les desseins de la sagesse divine à mon égard, je ne pouvais pas décliner la souveraineté d'un Être qui, comme mon Créateur, avait le droit incontestable et absolu de disposer de moi à son bon plaisir, et qui pareillement avait le pouvoir judiciaire de me condamner, moi, sa créature, qui l'avais offensé, au châtiment qu'il jugeait convenable; et que je devais me résigner à supporter sa colère, puisque j'avais péché contre lui.