18 GOODNESS AND JUSTICE OF DEITY. (1.) That in a vast plurality of instances in which contrivance is perceivable, the design of the contrivance is beneficial. (2.) That the Deity has superadded pleasure to animal sensations, beyond what was necessary for any other purpose; or when the purpose, so far as it was necessary, might have been effected by the operation of pain. Öther writers have mentioned the following circumstances as illustrative of the divine goodness. Nothing is wanting to living creatures which is necessary for the preservation of life, for defence, the procuring of food, and motion from place to place. He who bestowed life has rendered it a gift worthy of himself by associating with it a great variety of conveniences and pleasures, instead of pains. The goodness of God is displayed in the abundant provision which he has made for the wants of his creatures. Also, in providing means for healing wounds and curing diseases. * Nature teaches us of God, Her architect-her master. At His feet The existence of natural and moral evils in the world may be satisfactorily explained, without calling in question the divine goodness. There are numerous advantages and compensations which reason discovers in connection with these evils: but divine revelation is necessary to furnish a full explanation of them in consistency with divine goodness. Upon this subject may be consulted Paley's Natural Theology, Fergus on Nature and Revelation, and Lectures of Dr. Dick. Justice of God. 39. Justice is necessary to the formation of every good character; and therefore the Deity must be perfectly JUSTICE OF THE DEITY. 19 just. If we follow the guidance of unsophisticated reason, it will lead us to the same conclusion with the Scriptures, that God is just, as well as wise and good; that he is not only the maker and preserver, but also the ruler of the world; and that as power and wisdom are requisite to guide and sustain inanimate matter, and irrational creatures, so justice is indispensable to the government of intelligent and moral agents, who are the proper subjects of law, and may deserve to be rewarded or punished. The consciences of men bear testimony to the justice of God, even where divine revelation is not enjoyed. Hence a belief of the divine justice has prevailed among all nations in every age. Under the influence of conscience they have understood certain events as instances of retributive justice, and remarked the punishment of individuals in the calamities that befell them. Their histories abound in facts which were construed to be divine judgments, interpositions of the gods to avenge themselves upon those who were guilty of fraud, murder, and impiety. They erred in attributing these acts of justice to beings who existed only in their own vain imaginations; but they were right in interpreting them as proofs that there is a moral government which will not permit crimes to escape with impunity. Further proofs of divine justice will be submitted in another chapter. 29. Is it in our power to form a complete conception of the divine nature? 30. How have the attributes of Deity been distributed? 31. What reason have we for believing the unity of God? 32. How then can we account for the prevalence of Polytheism? 33. How does reason ascertain the self-existence of God? 34. What ground does nature furnish for the belief that God is a spirit? 35. Evidence that God is omnipotent? 36. How does it appear that God is eternal and unchangeable? 37. Proof of the divine knowledge, wisdom, and omnipresence? 38. How do we learn the goodness of God? 39. What information does nature afford us of the justice of God? 20 MORAL GOVERNMENT. CHAPTER III. EVIDENCES OF THE MORAL GOVERNMENT OF THE DEITY FROM THE LIGHT OF NATURE. 40. THE Constitution of human nature, and the state of the world, are the only sources from which unassisted reason can discover the character of the divine govern ment. I. Evidences of a Moral Government from the Constitution of Human Nature. 41. (1.) The distribution of pleasure and pain in the mind of man is a moral distribution. Those affections which we denominate virtuous are attended with immediate pleasure; the opposite affections and conduct, with immediate pain. The man who acts under the influence of benevolence, gratitude, a regard to justice and truth, is in a state of enjoyment. The heart which is actuated by resentment or malice is a stranger to joy. This is one specimen of moral government. (2.) The Creator has implanted a faculty in the human mind which approves of virtue and condemns vice. It is not enough to say that righteousness is prudent because it is attended with pleasure; that wickedness is foolish, because it is attended with pain. Conscience, in judging of them, pronounces the one to be right, and the other to be wrong. The righteous, supported by that most delightful of all sentiments, the sense that he is doing his duty, proceeds with self-approbation, and reflects upon his conduct with complacence; the wicked not only is distracted by the conflict of various wretched passions, but acts under the perpetual conviction that he is doing what he ought not to do. The hurry of business, or the tumult of passion, may, for a season, so far drown the voice of conscience as to leave him at liberty to accomplish his purpose. But when his mind is cool, he perceives that, in following blindly the impulse of appetite, he has acted beneath the dignity of his rational nature. The indulgence of MORAL GOVERNMENT. 21 malevolent affections is punished by the sentiment of remorse, and he despises himself for every act of baseness. (3.) Conscience, anticipating the future consequences of human actions, forebodes that it shall be well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked. The righteous man, although naturally modest and unassuming, not only enjoys present serenity, but looks forward with good hope. The prospect of future ease lightens every burden, and the view of distant scenes of happiness and joy holds up his head in the time of adversity. But every crime is accompanied with a sense of deserved punishment. To the man who has disregarded the admonitions of conscience, she soon begins to utter her dreadful presages: she lays open to his view the dismal scenes which lie beyond every unlawful pursuit; and sometimes, awaking with increased fury, she produces horrors that constitute a degree of wretchedness, in comparison of which all the sufferings of life do not deserve to be mentioned. 42. The constitution of human nature being the work of God, the three particulars which have been mentioned as parts of that constitution are parts of his government. (1.) The pleasure which accompanies one set of affections, and the pain which accompanies the opposite, afford an instance in the government of God of virtue being rewarded, and of vice being punished. (2.) The faculty which passes sentence upon human actions is a declaration from the Author of our nature of that conduct which is agreeable to him, because it is a rule directing his creatures to pursue a certain line of conduct. (3.) The presentiment of the future consequences of our behavior is a declaration, from the Author of our nature, of the manner in which his government is to proceed with regard to us. The hopes and fears natural to the human mind are the language in which God foretells to man the events in which he is deeply interested. To suppose that the Almighty engages his creatures in a certain course of action by delusive hopes and fears, is at once absurd and impious; and if we think worthily of the Supreme Being, we cannot entertain a doubt that He, who by the constitution of human nature has declared his 22 MORAL GOVERNMENT. love of virtue and his hatred of vice, will at length appear the righteous Governor of the Universe. When, spite of conscience, pleasure is pursued, And what's unnatural is painful too, At intervals, and must disgust e'en thee! The fact thou know'st; but not, perhaps, the cause. YOUNG. II. What unassisted Reason may discover of the Character of the Government of God, from the state of the World. 43. Here also we may observe three traces of a moral government. (1.) It recurs, to consider the world as the situation in which creatures, having the constitution which has been described, are placed. Acting in the presence of men, that is, of creatures constituted as we ourselves are, and feeling a connection with them in all the occupations of life, we experience in the sentiments of those around us, a further reward and punishment than that which arises from the sense of our own minds. The faculty which passes sentence upon a man's own actions, when carried forth to the actions of others, becomes a principle of esteem or contempt. The sense of good or ill-desert becomes, upon the review of the conduct of others, applause or indignation. When it referred to a man's own conduct, it pointed only at what was future. When it refers to the conduct of others, it becomes an active principle, and proceeds in some measure to execute the rules which it pronounces to be just. Hence the righteous man is rewarded by the sentiments of his fellow-creatures. He experiences the gratitude of some, and the friendship, at least the good-will, of all. The wicked man, on the other hand, is a stranger to esteem, and confidence, and love. His vices expose him to censure; his deceit renders him an object of distrust; his malice creates him enemies. According to the kind and the degree of his demerit, contempt, or hatred, or indignation is felt by every one who knows his character; and even when these sentiments do not lead others to do |