am unacquainted with, my confidence in the divine character is fuch, that I make myfelf entirely easy. I defire no man to fay more.

I wish I could obtain a clear and correct idea of what Mr. S. means by the greatest poffible quantity of happiness. Whether he means, the greatest quantity of happiness enjoyed by the intelligent univerfe, Creator and creatures; or by all intelligent creatures; or by the human kind only; is not clear. It appears to me that clear and diftinct ideas here will be fpecially serviceable in our inquiries.

Mr. S. fays, that, by the expreffions public good, general good, the good, or glory, or bleffeduefs of the whole, are meant the greatest glory and bleffedness of God, and his holy intelligent kingdom ;" and he adds, "this eminently comprizes the glory and bleffednefs of God." In p. 109, he says,

They alfo fuppofe, on the teftimony which God hath given of what he will do, that those who argue against a future punishment, however awful it may be to individuals, or however honeft the ymay feel to themselves, are oppofing the beft, the greatest, and the eternal interefts of God and his kingdom."

As we fhall foon find that Mr. S. confiders the divine benevolence to be, a constant and invariable regard to the greatest good or happiness, of the intellectual system; and that this greatest good, or hap pinefs, of the intellectual fyftem may be preserved, though multitudes of intellectual creatures be eternally miserable : nay, farther, that this supreme good,

or happiness, may be promoted and advanced by the eternal mifery of millions of human beings : it becomes abfolutely neceffary, that we most accurately fix and ascertain fome juft ideas of the greatest quantity of happiness in the intellectual fyftem.

If, by the greateft poffible quantity of happiness Mr. S. means, the greatest public or general good, the greatest glory, or blessedness of the whole, which, he says, means, the greatest glory and bleffedness of God, and his holy intelligent kingdom; then we have obtained his ideas. Now, then, we may proceed one step farther. This greatest glory and bleffednefs of God, and his holy, intelligent kingdom, Mr. S. fays, may confift with the eternal mifery of individuals, be promoted by it, and, farther fill, that this eternal mifery is a neceffary mean of producing it. Take his own words. "We may therefore be affured, that the infinitely benevolent, all-wife and all-powerful God, will eternally execute fuch a government, as will make bleffedness in the universe the greatest that is poffible. It is doubtless on this principle, that he hath admitted moral and natural evil into his government, Not because he delights in either fin or mifery; or views them as good in their own nature; but because they are the neceffary means of producing the greatest good." Mr. S. and the public will permit me, in character of examiner, to be critical, whilft I am candid. I folemnly declare that I have no intereft to ferve, in this examination, but that of truth, The glory of God and the good of mankind are my motive. I

propofe

propofe the following, as a general method of procedure, in this examination; first, to ftate, clearly and fairly, the meaning of my author; fecondly, to examine his opinions, and confider whether they are true or false; if false, then, thirdly, to present the public with what I confider to be truth,

We have, already, I think, difcovered Mr. S.'s ideas of the greateft quantity of happiness. It is the greatest glory and bleffednefs of God, and of his holy intelligent kingdom. And Mr. S. affirms that fin and mifery are the neceffary means of producing this greatest glory and bleffedness of God, and of his holy intelligent kingdom.

That we may have his whole fyftem in one view, we will now endeavor to obtain Mr. S.'s ideas of the divine benevolence.

Mr. S. fays, p, 109,

certainly be true.

"One of three things muft Either ift. That God is not a

benevolent being.-Or 2dly. God hath not been a.

3dly. Infinite benevoexistence of misery, and

2. Benevolence is con

ble to prevent mifery.-Or lence is confiftent with the this is doubtlefs the truth. fiftent with immediately appointing and producing mifery."

In p. 110, he says, "It appears that the following things are true concerning benevolence: Firft, That it is a love of the greateft quantity of happiness. Secondly, that it is confiftent with the exiftence of mifery, and with being the inftrument of executing it. Thirdly, that it has regard to the greatest quan

tity of happiness in society, and not to the happiness of every individual. Benevolence, thus defined, is that goodness or holinefs, which directs the fupreme God in creating, governing, and rewarding."

Mr. S. ftill farther illuftrating his definition of divine benevolence, obferves, p. 110. "The good of the whole or the greatest happiness of intellectual being, is the object of benevolence." Again, p. 111. "The happiness of every individual, and the greateft happiness of the whole, are confiderations entirely feparate; and the banevolence of God will choose the latter. A regard to the happiness of the whole, is the very thing which diftinguishes benevolence from selfishness. It is the important criterion of distinction, and the whole which makes the difference between holiness and unholiness. It appears therefore that thofe, who attempt to reconcile the prefent mifery of individuals with the goodness of God, by faying, he will make it the means of increafing their future happiness, so as to compensate for present suffering, have entirely departed from the nature of benevolence, and are judging of the difpensations of God, on the principles of selfishness, A benevolence limited by the law of individual happiness, is fo far from the true benevolence of God, and of holy creatures, and from making all creatures bleffed in its operation: that it is not holiness, neither can it ever give perfect happiness to any mind. There is no middle way between selfishness and a fupreme regard to the good and glory of God and his kingdom."

We

ry

We have now, perhaps, made quotations enough for the present purpose; and may proceed to collect and prefent, in one view, our author's ideas, both of the greatest possible quantity of happiness; and of the divine benevolence. The greateft poffible quantity of happiness, is the greateft public or general good; or the greatest good of the whole; or the greatest gloand bleffedness of God, and of his holy intelligent kingdom. This greatest glory and bleffedness of God, and of his holy intelligent kingdom, confifts with the eternal mifery of individuals-are promoted by this mifery-yea, fin and mifery are the necessary means of producing the greatest glory and bleffedness of God, and of his holy intelligent kingdom!! -The divine benevolence con fifts in loving the greateft poffible quantity of happiness; or in maintaining a fupreme and inviolable attachment to his own greatest glory and bleffedness, and to the greatest glory and bleffedness of his holy intelligent kingdom; or in loving, and taking fupreme delight in that glory and that blessedness, which are not promoted only, but neceffarily produced, by fin and mifery !!!

The picture is fhocking! It is dreadful!! I truly pity every reader, who is not abfolutely divefted of every spark of piety and humanity. The feelings of every pious and humane foul must be intolerably wounded by fuch a representation of the ever glos rious God; the Father and the Friend of all his creatures. The groffeft and moft corrupt falfhood must