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    rested his speculations , could , if their minds were earnestly directed to the inquiry > follow vout ( fie train of rean soning which led him tb ythe consola * tory coridiusidh'in which it appears tjiat Dr . Jiartley concurred ; and- I venture to request that these gentlemen will have the kindness to take

    the subject into their consideration , and to communicate to your , le $ 3 learned readers the result of their inquiry . Being myself a believer in the Doe * trine of . Philosophical Necessity , and an Optimist , I have conceived that tlie degree of-- evil which has hitherto existed in the world could not possibly have been avoided , ^ because the Deity

    necessarily adopts in every instance , the best possible course of proceeding , and therefore as evil exists , it follows that it was unavoidable in the very beat system that infinite wisdom and

    goodness could devise . I will candidly confess that this view of the system of the universe , although , upon the whole , highly calculated to inspire confidence in the great Power that rules over us , has nevertheless at

    some seasons , suggested uncomfortable reflections . For if the experience of the pains of childhood was neces * - sary to ensure the enjoyments of fcwk vanced life , how bah we be certain that pains of great intensity and of long duration may not , updn the same

    principle , be equally necessary , in the successive periods of future existence , to our advancement iii virtue and happiness ? Atfd yet , if We deny the necessity of the pains which are now actually endured , we do not get rid of difficulty ; because if they were

    not necessary ; their infliction detracts from the perfection of r the Divine goodness ; and if the Dfeity could gratuitously Introduces a smaller < legree of evil , what security have-we against a similar gratuitous introduction of a gre&te * ?

    From such thoughts as- these I h&ve gladly fled for consolation to- the exhilnrating dedar ^ tidnl of thfe sacred writers ^ that a period shal l arrive when pain % nd death and 3 v&ty description of evil Witf he abolished and God bet all-in all . These < leclaratioris

    accord with our best feeling's , and satisfy our utmost desires ; and those who committed r them * to writiiig , proved , by performing-works beyond

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    the ability of rotherJ meifp ra& # tfctfjr had acquired a deeper ; insight J ittta the real . * nature tff thitiftsu * h * ta ; Iklte to this lot of ordinary r philosophers Their sayings , therefore , are « i ^ tl ^ tl to a proportionate degree of , weight . This leads me to " : titi £ etf& that no

    speculation as tothe tfeW » iiati 6 n * of pain with the present Kfei c ^ ifld ^ be safely entertaiiked by a Christian philosopher , unless it can be shevvti t 6 be consistent with those j > assag 6 s o € Scripture which have relation'td tli ^ state of mankind ^ after death . ! Rrofii

    your review of Mr . Scott ' s Letitiifes ^ CXVIIL 6 $$ , 65 % ) I gather' tlistt he regards emir liotfd ' s des * 5 riptkn * o # th ^ judgment , as appfymg tt > thfe dealings of Providencie in this life with the Jewish people , at the period of the destruction of their civil and

    ecclesiastical polity . If he should be correct in this interpretation ; tb £ * e would still remain several passaged ' which appear to teach , that men will b ^ punished after the resurrection fat the sins committed in the body , and these must be critically examined . For my own part / I freely declare , that I shall lend an attentive ear to

    any one who ivill undertake to pfdve that the passages in question ddhvey a meaning difierent f torn that which has been generally assigned to them ; and Jthat ^ they cait be shewn to be consistent with the hyp ^ otheSiSy ** that the pains of this life may suffice for the wh&le of out * futute ^ kistfence ^

    No man who has had much experieiice of acute pain , or who has witnessed the sufferings of those whom he loved , can contemplate with composure thfe pix ) spect of future sufferings su ^ h as even Dr . South wood Smith supposes may be endured by some huniaa beings ; and ^ when we surft toft / the

    miseries which in ^ an- Mifwiite vftii&ty oft shapes ; flesh is heir to , ive are sometime tempited to doubt whteth&r ' sufch thitiga couM happen under the government off a truly b ^ n ^ olerit Being , I grant that these ' doubts subside , when , on taking a morfe Enlarged and dispassionate survey of the world ; we are enabled to discern the

    tendency of all events * to prbdtice ^ a progressive amelioration of the state of society ; , ¦ <^ -- ¦ : ; ' * ¦ ' :. ¦' - ' ¦ , ¦ Havittj * thus pre ^ ttmed id moot a question in the discussion ^ f Avhifefr I am very ill qualified to take a ptwt

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    16 Whether Future ' Sufferingbenecessary F

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1824, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2520/page/16/