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er with one specimen of Mr. S.'s method in answering objections against eternal mifery, and of his skill and dexterity in applying his theory of benevolence.

P. 121, "Sec. 6. objection. The folution to the former objection, ftands upon the principle, that God appoints fin and mifery to take place for the public good. How is this juftice in God, or juft to the finning, fuffering creature? Will God give up one to mifery forever, to make the univerfe more happy, and is this confiftent with equity to individuals ?"

The former objection, to which Mr. S. refers in this, is, "God is a being of infinite power and wildom, who can do every thing that he pleafes, and can therefore make every individual happy, in union with the greatest happiness of the whole ?"

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This objection against eternal mifery is founded on the infinite wisdom and power of God. The folution which Mr. S. hath attempted, he exprefsly fays, "ftands upon the principle, that God appoints fin and misery to take place for the public good.”

Thus we fee, that Mr. S. immediately introduces his refuted, exploded theory of the public good, to enable him to folve an objection against eternal mifery, which originates from the divine wifdóm and power.

Let us fee what ufe he will make of his theory of divine benevolence, in the folution of the objection which originates from the divine juftice.

Anfwer. This objection leads us back to fome

fundamental

fundamental principles in God's moral government of the rational universe, and in the nature of holiness or moral virtue. Here it becomes neceffary that we fhould form accurate ideas of the nature of juftice, as it exifts in God, and is exercised in his government of the universe. To affift in this, I make the fol lowing remarks.

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"iftly. Juftice is but a branch, or exercife of his love, benevolence or goodness. God is love. whole moral character is love, benevolence or goodnefs; and juftice is always an exercise of that moral character, which is defignated by these words.

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2dly. The object of benevolence or goodness ; or the end to which it is directed, in all its exercises, is the public good. The object of juftice and its exercises in God, and the fole end which he means. to promote, is the general good. What we call the vindictive or punitive juftice of God, has in all cafes the public benefit for its ultimate end. We have no reason to suppose that any end, detached from the general good, is God's ultimate end in any thing that he does. For if we once admit this, it introduces into the divine government two oppofing principles; public good, and individual or feparate good. I call. these oppofing principles, because they are thus in their own nature. While individual or separate guod is the object of fupreme choice and love; the general good cannot be. good is the object of fupreme feparate good cannot be.

And when the general choice; individual or This doth not militate againft

against individual happiness, because the greatest poffible happiness of individuals, is when they give

up

their own private interefts, and make the public intereft their fupreme and governing object in all their actions and wishes. Though God hath forbid his creatures making their own intereft a fupreme object, he hath fo conftructed their natures, that they are the most happy they can be, when they fuprêmely love the public intereft, happiness and glory. It is in this way, that infinite wisdom hath united the highest poffible public good and the greatest individual or perfonal blessedness.”

I have now quoted enough to enable us to comprehend Mr. S.'s whole plan of divine juftice, upon which he attempts an answer to the objection which he states. We will apply ourselves to a critical and candid examination of this plan of justice, and confider how it anfwers the objection. In order to this, I will endeavor to bring Mr. S.'s ideas into a fhorter compass.

The reader will here recollect Mr. S.'s definitions of the public good, and of the divine benevolence; and, whilst we are paffing on, I will endeavor to keep them in view.

The public good is the greatest glory and blessed. nefs of God, and of his holy intelligent kingdom. This greatest public good is necessarily produced by fin and mifery. With this public good God is fupremely delighted. This is his benevolence.

The justice, even the punitive juftice, of God is an

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exercife of his benevolence. Now, fince juftice, punitive juftice, is an exercife of divine benevolence; and divine benevolence is a fupreme regard to the public good; and the public good is the greatest glory and bleffedness of God, and of his holy intelligent kingdom; and fin and mifery are the neceffary means of producing the greateft glory and bleffednefs of God, and of his holy intelligent kingdom; punctive justice requires that fin and mifery fhould be eternal. So far Mr. S. is confiftent with himfelf, in returning his answer to the objection. And had Mr. S. have ftopped here, thrown down his pen and attempted no farther illucidation of the fubject, he would have done wifely: but fome illfated fuggeftion, in an unlucky moment, put it into his head, to write fomething with regard to the degree and duration of punishment. This too great diffuseness has ruined his whole fcheme because it is all in direct contradiction to it. We will, notwithstanding, pay it fome attention.

He fays, fpeaking of the degree and duration of punishment, p. 125. "I may in this place mention fome things to be confidered, as evidential that eternal punishment is not greater than the general happiness requires, and confequently not greater than the demerits of fin.

1. The finner's temper and practice are dire&ly opposed to the glory and bleffednefs of God, and his intelligent kingdom." If it be true, that the finner's temper and practice are in direct oppofition

to

to the glory and bleffednefs of God, and his intelligent kingdom; and if God hath a fupreme regard to his own glory and blessedness, and to the glory and blessedness of his intelligent kingdom; he certainly will deftroy the finner's temper and practice; or, in other words, he will certainly put an end to fin; which is the very thing that univerfalifts believe God will finally do. To fuppofe that God will endure, in his rational univerfe, an eternal oppofition to his own greateft glory and bleffed nefs, and to the glory and bleffednefs of his holy intelligent kingdom, is to make him a very unwife, as well as malevolent, being. We should have been much better pleased, if Mr. S. had come voluntarily over to the fide of truth and of the Univerfalifts; but we will endeavor to make the moft we can of his conftrained homage paid to truth.

"2. The finner's temper and practice is a violation of infinite obligation." If Mr. S. means very great, by infinite, it would be confiftent enough for a Univerfalift to fay, that the finners temper and practice are a violation of a very great obligation; but it will not do for Mr. S. to fay this, unless he will be patient, when grofs contradictions are charged upon kim. The exercise of the finner's temper in wicked practice, is the very thing that produces the greatest glory and bleffednefs of God, and of his holy intelligent kingdom; how can the finner then violate an infinite, or a very great obligation, by the exercise of his wicked temper? The finner is commanded to do

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