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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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punishment , and vengeance he feels cannot be inflicted by a God of infinite inercy , long - suffering-, and ready to forgive . He knows that men suffer under sin as under other evils , by the will of God , and that , therefore , it is inconsistent with God ' s justice to
punish them infinitely . If any should ask , 6 ( How is it reeoncileable with the justice of God that he should cause sin ^ and , then visit the sinner with punishment ? " he answers , "This question is the same as that of the Origin of Evil ; if God is the author of all things ,, he must be tjie author of evil ;
of sin among other kinds : for whether he allows man to sin , or appoints him to sin , comes to the same thing . Of bis purpose in ordering things thus ^ we know nothing , but that it must be wise and benevolent , as he can do nothing inconsistent with wisdom and benevolence . " He looks forward
continually to the time when he shall be called on for an account of what he has done during his peiriod of probation , and when he shall receive according to his deeds . He ueither wastes his time and his powers in looking back on events which cannot be recalled , nor in anticipating what
may be his future lot o $ earth . When he looks forward ,, it is to the period when all the things of this life shall have passed away , and , at the same time , takes care that a , } l his powers are employed on the improvement of the present ; for the present is his own ; th ^ past and future are beyond his power .
While thus educating himself for eternity , the philosopher feels that death , though the end of his period of probation , is only an interruption to las pursuits ; that , though the xjext state of being must be essentially different from the present , his pursuits ,
having been directed according to the best toaovvledge he could attain of a future life , must be such as are appointed to be brought to perfection in heaven . If , while sojourning on earth , he has acted as a citizen of heaven , he must find , on his arrival there , that it
is indeed his home , and that he may follow the same occupations , probably in a somewhat similar manner , which exercised his best powers while confined to a mortal body . With respect to the lapse of time between death and the resurrection , he feels that he
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shall abide in the protection of his Maker , whetlier in a state o £ consciousness , or of insensibility . He may think that the Scriptures favour the supposition of death being the renose
of insensibility ; but whether it be so or not , whether his soul be immaterial or not , he-finds to be points of small importance , as they j affect his expectations . He lias the firmest faith in
the resurrection of the bpiy ; as firm a faith as he feels every day , tliat thfere will be a morrow ; and in what manner he shall be raised , how his identity will be preserved , it matters little tdlrim , and is , be feels at present , beyond his comprehension . Walking by faith in the p&th appointed by God , he feels
more sure of its rigUt tende » cy than if he walked by sight alone ; and if darkness does occasionally render his journey difficult , he still presses fearlessly on , trusting to him who can guide safely , even through the valley of the shadow of death . As he proceeds , one difficulty after another , vanishes : he has striven to cultivate his reason to
the glory of God ; and when approaching- nearer and nejarer to tfcfe eternal world , which shall hereafter be revealed , he finds the coalescence between his philosophy and his religion become more and more complete : he is thankful that he has been granted so strong an additional evidence for the truth
of the objects of- < his faith ; he feds that far from being led away from scripture by his philosophy , far from gospel truth being modified by it , his faith has been strengthened * his hope purified and enlarged , and especially his charity warmed and . enlightened ; in the same proportion as , his belief
in the divide origin of the Christian religion has been confirmed . Let > then , this system of mental philosophy -be regarded with attention y let those who can inform themselves thoroughly of it 3 doctrines ; let theni , with as much caution as they
will , examine it , and see , if .-what has been said , be not true ; let them look around among the followers of Hartley , and discover , if they can , the evil effects of his Theory . Many living examples of its beneficial effects might be brought forward , if it were allowable ; as it is not , it will be sufficient
to mention the honoured name 01 Priestley . Who does not regard him with reverence as a Christian philoscv
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272 Defence of Metaphysical Studies *
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1824, page 272, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2524/page/16/
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