wisdom and righteousness, (See No. 6,) for incongruous objects to be enrolled therein.

No. 9.

In God, there is no existing cause why all the moral or intellectual world, might not eventually be among the ever-blessed in the regions of immortality. And hence we ascribe to him the energy of universal and unbounded benevolence.

The elect being in a state of congruity with the divine cause of election, the incongruity therewith of the non-elect must be explored, in a cause that is diametrically opposite to, or at variance with, that divine cause; and hence the said incongruity of the non-elect must be explored, in a cause that is extrinsic to the divine mind. It is accordingly deducible, that there is not any cause whatever existing in the divine mind, from which the said incongruity of the non-elect proceeds.

God, then, being eternally righteous and benevolent, respecting the aforesaid congruity of one portion of the human race, and not having in himself any cause of the said incongruity of the other part of mankind-it follows, that in

God there is no existing cause, why all mankind might not partake of the aforesaid congruity, and accordingly be among the ever-blessed eventually in the regions of immortality.

A similar conclusion may likewise be obtained respecting all the other members of the moral or intellectual world.

It being also (by No. 7) not incompatible with divine wisdom and righteousness, to attribute a benevolent energy to God, it ultimately follows, that he possesses such an energy to an universal and unbounded extent.

OBSERVATIONS.

That such an energy is inherent in the divine nature, is equally conclusive, whether we consider the mental world, in reference to the unavoidable evils, as well as the joys of this probationary and preparatory state of existence. To corroborate which, though anticipating in a measure some of our deductions, let us here transcribe a few of the inferences at which Dr. Thomas Brown arrived, in his 95th Lecture on the Philosophy of the Human Mind. "God," said he, "who has poured on us so much enjoyment, of which it is virtuous to partake, in the whole system of nature, and in the frame of our mind, is manifestly benevolent in calling us to enjoy; and though less manifestly, he is not less

truly benevolent in the evils which he has given to our virtue to bear; the common wants, by the influence of which the whole multitudes of our race are formed into a society, active in the reciprocation of mutual services, and the greater occasional sufferings, or voluntary perils, which excite the compassion or veneration of others, and cherish, in the heroic sufferer himself, a spirit of gentle or sublime virtue, without the consciousness of which, the moral scene would scarcely be an object of delightful interest, even to human regard.

"If the system of things has thus been framed by a God of benevolence, it is under the moral government of a benevolent God, who has shown too clearly, by the universal feelings which he has given to all his moral creatures, his love of virtue, and his disapprobation of vice, to leave any doubt as to the nature of his own high estimate of human actions."

No. 10.

The moral or intellectual creation was originally rendered susceptible of acting in conformity to the wisdom that is perfect.

As an absolutely-perfect guide, must be a being whose wisdom is all-perfect; so man, as

wanting that characteristic, could not have in himself a perfect guide, in the full and strict sense of the expression. Consequently, if left entirely to his own direction, as he could not then act superior to his own imperfect wisdom, his course would be consonant thereto. Hence, if the Creator had never given man any other guide than the wisdom of the creature, He would have left man in such a situation, that he could never have acted conformably to a perfect guide. And the like, also, is strictly deducible as to any other part of the intellectual creation; all-perfect wisdom no where existing except eternally in the divine mind. The entire intellectual creation, therefore, if left altogether to its own wisdom, could never have had an absolutely perfect guide, and consequently could never have acted conformably to a perfect plan.

Now it is deducible, both from reason and revelation, that it was made by the Omnipotent all-perfect First Cause; and that He could not have made it for no purpose; as also that He would not have made it for a comparatively unwise purpose. As, therefore, it would have been comparatively unwise to have made an intellectual creation susceptible of obeying only an imperfect wisdom, even while a perfect wisdom exists; it is accordingly conclusive, that He made it originally susceptible of acting in conformity to the wisdom that is perfect.

OBSERVATIONS.

An objection may here seem to arise, grounded on experience-as the greater part of mankind appear to have been left in great mental darkness. For a reply, you may consult the second part of this treatise; and particularly its second section.

No. 11.

A divine express revelation, or divine inspiration, or both, being indispensable; the First Cause supremely governs his intellectual creation.

For (by No. 10,) as the intellectual creation was originally rendered susceptible of acting in conformity to the wisdom that is perfect; so, consequently, the requisitions of that wisdom must be made known in some way or other, whether by a divine express revelation, or by divine inspiration, or both; it being impossible for any to act in conformity to whatever proves altogether unknown to them. Hence the necessity of divine legislation, and therefore of a divine government; the first cause consequently being the supreme Governor of his intellectual creation.