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fhat take place through the act 103 of ii $ an or other ( provident ordination , pr ) creature energy . Finally , I will rej > eat ,, that I cannot think tliat , every natural effect is subject # r oljpct of pw
pote and appointment . 5 This $ aj 4 scheme of divine determination ; and ordination , now lies beiyx& us simple say-so . But as it is seriously thought that facts dp not altogether answer to the tale , the matter ^ demands some elucidation .
And it is hoped , Sir , , that this ingenious theoretic correspondent will engage himself herein to- our common interest , an 4 ho will oblige an OLD INQUIRER ..
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TVheiher natural evil be the cause of moral euil . January , 1816 . IT is cpmmonly said that if moral evi \ could not injure sensible beings , or produce misery , it would be no evil at all , and I see no reason to
dispute this position . There is another question , however , connected with this subject , and that is , if the previous existence of natural evil be not the cause of the subsequent existence of moral evil , or whether if there were no natural evil moral evil could be possible in man ? Now , all natural
evil , is to sensible beings , unhappiness ; so t ^ ie question will be , if men were all perfectly happy > could an immoral volition or act . take place ? 1 think not . Every immoral act appears to be produced by the imperr fection of the agent ' s happiness . He is stimulated by some apprehended
good which he has not ana which he desires , and if he were perfectly happy be couj > d haye , no desires , and therefore cou ) 4 ^ ave no thing to c } raw forth afa imino # al wish . If th $ will be deterroin ^ d v by desire , take away that desire , fl , na ^ p volition will be everted . iVhuinaa being perfectly l ^ appy ^ can fdo jiq immoral a # t , because- he ¦
cain hav e no desire to change hjs corw ditiom * Ifake away from man in , hia Rres ^ nt s ta ^ e , uneasy passions , bodily 9 ** $ mental , and alt wants , and the ( Jrea ^ f of wan t , and all moraj evil must $ ease The , first pair are represented ^ ^ ° t perfectly happy , they l ^ ad ui * r ^ y desire > , , apij ' d crimin . aL 4 volition « * w@W ® $ i . INC ^ W l ^ y il » th ^^ fore « i t * ^ V ] b ! bR * » wlfpy | t : * vJ ^ ^ 4 m ^ R ^^ ^ * &i 11 #$ &f&te j * f i » at ^ mJ
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decree . Take away the natural evil and it would cease to exist at all * Will this reasoning apply to the Dei ^ ty ? If we conceive that the Bbeity is really the Creator , of all tljunsg , which all men now afl 0 w ; that ne must be perfectly liappy , possessing all things , and having nothing to counteract his views , seems to be an
undeniable inference , the contrary o £ which cannot be conceived ^ bat setmi to involve a contradiction . If the Deity their be a perfectly happy beings it will follow that he can have * no desiro , contrary to the happiness of any Being . It will . now be asked , why then has this happy being
produced natural evil , and that moral , in a word , why has he made any suffering and unhappy beings ? 1 cannot answer this question . The usual solution of thinking men is ; that all beings which he has made are or will be happy , and I confess that if this be not true , the difficulty admits of no solution whatever . W ithoiu
this , all is at riddle , an inexplicable mystery , all reasoning on the divine character and conduct , vain . This is * universally , or nearly so , the doetrm * held by Unitarians , and no other has the appearance of common sense , connected with the present condition of man and the belief of a perfectly happv Creator .
SEARCH . P . S . May I be permitted to ask your correspondent , Mr . Belsham > who is one of the most diligent students in the scriptures now living , if
he have found any prophecy in the Old Testament , which speaws * o £ the Messiah ' s dying and rising again the third day , which seems to be clearly designated by Jesus after his resur * recUort , as recorded in Luke .
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- SlR » March 28 , 1816 . r \ HE suggestion in a late number , if , X I take it right , that the Author of ^ Armageddon , " [ M , Hepos . X . 64 gJ probably intended m that poenii ind '
rectly to oppose the common notion of future punishment , hath inditc ^ d me . to send you a few . scattered thoughts drawn up und ^ r " a aimilar idea , somewhat amplified ; at fevr yeafrs ago r an idea , , with which I wa ^ forcibly impressed , oiiJ petu ^ irifg © r » ITiasmg ' s Poem " On thte fctist DajQ ^ They are part o £ others * on 1 the subj ^ i in gc ^ t e ^ ^ uchu fea ^! ojt ^ 4 > & 1 tb #
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Inconsistencies qf '' Writers on future Punishment . & 2 S
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1816, page 323, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2453/page/15/
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