To this is answer’d, that there are other difficulties in the general scheme of providence as hard to be solved; as that, whole families are involved in misery by the mismanagement of their ancestor; the entailment of chronick and terrible disorders on children by the debaucheries of a father, for that it is _wrong intolerable_, and against reason to punish children for the crimes of their fathers. But all these difficulties which seem to clash with the wisdom and goodness of God, are rectify’d in a future state, for which we are manifestly fitted and design’d. _Fog’s Journal_, _Jan. 16._ No. 121. This paper begins with a piece of humourous irony; observing that as criticks never appear so disappointed as when they meet with beauties in an author; so the present sett of disaffected political writers conceive no small joy to see their country involv’d in difficulties; nor can they be worse mortified than to see this nation flourish in trade, wealth and credit. That _Osborne_ (writer of the _London Journal_) and _Walsingham_ (of the _Free Briton_) affirm, That the present crew of factious writers proceeds on this principle. Descants upon the measures for some years past; the destruction of the _Spanish_ Fleet in the _Mediterranean_, whereby _Sicily_ was gain’d for the Emperor, and the preservation of the balance of _Europe_ so ill settled by that wicked treaty of _Utrecht_. Mentions some of the great Actions which have stirr’d up the envy of the disaffected; as, the sending annual fleets into the _Baltick_; the treaty of _Hanover_; the maintaining a body of _Hessian_ troops; sending squadrons to the coasts of _Spain_ and the _West-Indies_, the expedition to _Spithead_ and lastly, the treaty of _Seville_. This last, he ironically says, had like to have kill’d the disaffected quite, because it was so wisely calculated for establishing a general tranquillity, and for the advancing the trade of _Great Britain_! He goes on throwing his sarcasms at the writers on the side of the present ministry, who having challeng’d the disaffected to show any one step taken destructive of the true interest of their country, instances in the opening the harbour of _Dunkirk_, the Island of St. _Lucia_ planted by the _French_; raising recruits in _Ireland_ for the service of _France_; all which the two writers aforemention’d, convinced the world were groundless, by telling the authors of these reports, they lyed.