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Oil the Divine Benevolence . ^ Glasgow , June , 10 , 1811 . The infinite benevolence of Deity - is a proposition that has
been virtually denied by almost all theologians , and the few liberal aud enlightened metaphysicians who have really maintained it , seem to have considered it rather
as something desirable , than as a demonstrable and necessary attribute of his nature . To shew that it is truly this , and that it may be proved il priori ' , not merely inferred a posteriori ^ is the object of the following essay .
Most metaphysicians , with Clarke , Locke , and Hartley , from the mere postulate , that something now exists , thence deduce in a most convincing manner , the selfexistence , omniscience , and omnipotence of one Supreme Being ;
but when they come to treat of his benevolence , they think it sufficient to refer us to the external world ; where , say they , wejfifill find that every thing tends to good , consequently God must be benevolent , and since an infinite
being must t > e infinite in all his at . tributes , therefore he must be infinitely benevolent ; yet a large proportion of them pretend not to perceive any discrepance between this conclusion and the everlasting torment of myriads of their
fellow-creatures ; nor perhaps will the discrepance ever appear insuperable , if the conclusion is deduced merely from considerations < 2 posteriori .. Now , even
allowing that all things around us were bland and smiling , that discontent , disease and death were banished from the earth ; what have they said to convince us that we may not still be the victims of a gria * tyrant , who thus gives us
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the view , and even the taste of pleasure , only in order to make our future misery the more poig nant ? But if it can be shewn that the idea of infinite power
necessarily involves that of infinite benevolence , then will the ration . al Theist have a well-grounded conviction , that if he exist at all hereafter he will exist happy .
JNow , when we analyse the idea of malevolence or cruelty , ( by the former . of which I understand the 1 i > 4 ¦ _ __ desire
to inflict , by the latter , the actual infliction of intentional pain , without the design of thereby procuring for the sufferer a preponderance of pleasure , ) when we analyse it , I say , fear , or a dread of evil to one ' s self , will be
found ' a necessary ingredient in its composition ; but weakness , or the conviction of a superior power , is necessary before the idea of fear can be induced ; and consequently where power is infinite , weakness , fear , and malevolence must be
excluded ; and the Universal Fafher stands contest , a being of pure , spotless and infinite benevolence . I have said that fear is a necessary constituent of malevolence ; this will appear evident when we consider that fear is pain in prospect , hatred is the thought of
the pain which any thing is apt to produce in us , * ' and nialevo . lence is hatred directed towards a sentient being . We accordingly find among mankind , that few
princes become tyrants till they dread conspirators ; most men in civilized society who are conscious of superior strength are goodnatured ; &nd it is among savages whose means of subsistence arc
precarious , and who are beset on all sides with enemies , that we meet with the jnost atrocious in *
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418 On the Divine Benevolence *
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1811, page 418, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2418/page/34/
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