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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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he adds , the infliction of pain , suffering , aiid finally death , without any view to the benefit of the sufferer , we should find it difficult to reconcile with justice . " The difficulty arises from the Doctor ' s definition of justice , which never
has been , and , I believe , cannot be proved to be a true one . It lies with him to prove that the infliction of death , can be for the benefit of the suffere r * A iud ^ e
passes the sentence of death on an offender , the criminal may be satisfied that that sentence is just , that the judge has no ill will to him , that he is not deficient in goodness , and that his death may have some good moral effect ; but
it would be a difficull matter to Convince him that it was goodness to himself , and for bis own personal benefit \ and to attempt to do so would be rather to insult than to administer consolation to him .
In p . 114 , we have the conclusion of the preceding argument . * The scriptures , the Doctor says , address us as reasonable beines .
They presume that we can apply a principle , or draw an inference *
But if we will not reason from so clear a proposition , as God is love , I say oo more than that wo must lose the pleasure and advantage of that consequence which immediately follows from it , that ,
as he is all-powerful , and likewise infinitely wise , all his creatures will finally be made happy . " But let me ask , have the sacred writers ever made such an arrangement of these divine attributes in
order to infer from them , that God being a God of love , his almighty power , under ( he direction <> f in ( inite < wisdom , can on . ly . be exerted to make every individual
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of his creatures final ! ay happyi They certainly have nut : nor have they any where drawn . such ar conclusion from the attribute * of God under any arrangement whatever . The power of God respecting the wicked is never connected with his love in the scripture * , nor is
it ever represented as exercised for their happiness ; but quite the reverse . God saitb unto
Pharaoh , for this purpose have I rais . ed thee up , that I might show ( not my love to thee and make thee happy , but that I might show ) my power in thee , L e . in
thy destruction , and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth . The apostle , quoting these words , and from them * in * dicating the righteousness of God in the destruction he was about
to bring on the Jewish nation , says , " What if God , willing to shew , —to shew what ? His love I no , but to shew his wrath , and to make his power known , en * dured with much long suiFering ^ the vessels of wrath fitted for
destruction . " And the same writer says , that the destruction of the vweked will be from , i . e . it will come fro : n the presence of ihc Lord an « l from the glory of his power . But enough has been said to shew how unfounded the
inference is , from God being said to Le love , for the final happiness of all mankind . Having examined , ihe Doctor ' s inference from the love of God , it is hardly necessary 10 examine the conclusion Ilc draws in support of bis doc trine from his other attribute * : for if ibis iiuls , in which his main strength lies * it is not u » be supposed that the conciu Hi ^ u ctioubc supported l \ y &ny o \ h # X of
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Mr . Marsoms Strictures o ? i Dr . Estlins Discourses , 23 RR
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1814, page 283, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2440/page/27/
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