CRITICAL AND CANDID EXAMINATION. PART FIRST. I PROPOSE to conduct this examination in the following method; I. The first part will consist of some confiderations of the divine benevolence, as displayed in the creation and government of men. II. An enquiry, whether it be not the benevolent and gracious plan of God, that all men shall, eventually, be virtuous and happy. III. Some of the most material objections against such a plan fairly stated and answered. IV. A kind and generous address to the clergy and people of the United States. I. Some confiderations of the divine benevolence as displayed in the creation and government of men. Just Just and accurate ideas of the divine benevolence, as displayed in the creation and government of men, must be of special service to us, in all our enquiries after the final state of mankind. I have, therefore, proposed to begin my examination by some consider. ations on this important subject. Mr Strong, in his second Part, p. 108, propounds an objection against eternal misery, in the following words, viz. "The eternal misery of individuals is inconsistent with benevolence." Inconfiftent with the divine benevolence, the meaning is. This Mr. S. acknowledges to be a very common objection; and that " many honest minds find diffi. culty in it." And I perfectly agree with him, in not thinking it strange that this should be the cafe. That every honest unbiaffed mind should find difficulty in reconciling the eternal misery of a great part of human kind, with infinitely perfect benevolence, is no more than we might reasonably expect. But this whole difficulty, however great it may seem, or really be, "arises," as Mr S. affirms, "from not having just and accurate ideas of the nature of benevolence, and in what it consists." After this, we may reafonably expect to find divine benevolence very justly and accurately defined, and fuch, views of it given, as will presently remove, from every honest mind, all diff culty about the eternal misery of millions of millions of the human race. E Whether Mr. S. will consider me to be of the number of honest minds, I cannot determine : carefully this I must frankly say, that, after having read and carefully confidered his definition of divine benevolence, I am still in difficulty, when I think of the eternal misery of a great part of my fellow crea tures. Mr. S. obferves, "It is agreed by all, that the fupreme Jehovah is a being of infinite benevolence; and the no event will take place in his government, that is inconfiftent with the most perfect goodness. Doubtless it is also true that God hath wisdom to contrive, and power to execute, a scheme of exif. tence and government, that contains the greatest poffible quantity of happiness; and which every benevolent mind will say is the most perfect scheme, and wholly the fruit of goodness." a That God is capable of forming a scheme of existence and government that will absolutely be the best and most perfect, I do not feel myself disposed to deny. That he actually hath formed such scheme of existence and government, I know not that we can, with safety, affirm. This would require us to believe that infinite wisdom, almighty power, and unbounded goodness have been exerted, to their utmost limits, upon the present scheme of existence and. government; and that, therefore, it is the best that God could form. I am perfectly satisfied with the existing scheme of creation and providential government of mankind and of the universe, so far as I understand it; and, for that part of the divine government which I and goodness of the divine nature, we might safely and positively determine that future mifery will have an end, if it were not demonstrated by scripture as it is in a variety of passages. As, where it is declared that Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, which are moral and physical evil. Also, that be must reign, till be hath put all enemies under bis feet; and destroyed the last enemy, death. These, and many others as I have shown, give us the utmost assurance, that neither fin nor death, moral nor physical evil, shall have existence in the universe when Jesus shall deliver up the mediatorial kingdom. I I have also endeavoured to answer that grand ob jection against the doctrine of universal salvation, that it tends to evil, and to licentious manners. defire the reader would carefully and candidly con fider what I have written in answer to this objection. I think I have made it undeniably plain, that the doctrine of eternal misery tends, directly and naturally, to destroy all piety and morality, all faith and hope, and love, and joy, and every pious affection; and all justice, kindness, and mercy towards mankind. In the last part, I have addressed the clergy and people of the United States. In this address, I have attempted a brief view of the two very different systems; that of eternal misery, and that of univerfal holiness and happiness, with their different effects on the minds and manners of men. This is a gencral view of what the reader may expect in the following work; all which is now submitted to his candid perusal and judgment. A CRITICAL tic cr len vez 1 gaiz 1 and 1. 25 di nen. ۱ I PROPOSE to conduct this examination in the following method; I. The first part will confist of some confiderations of the divine benevolence, as displayed in the creation and government of men. II. An enquiry, whether it be not the benevolent and gracious plan of God, that all men shall, eventually, be virtuous and happy. III. Some of the most material objections against such a plan fairly stated and answered. IV. A kind and generous address to the clergy and people of the United States. I. Some confiderations of the divine benevolence as displayed in the creation and government of men. Just |