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form such habits as become the immortal child of the God of love . Whatever prevents the predominance of a gross and earthly selfishness in his bosom , whatever keeps his feelings well tuned to sympathy and kindness , whatever adds to his hoard of complacent recollections—this is his interest ; he follows it . What is pleasure to others is not so to him , if there be cruelty in it , because in that there is a reflected pain to him which overpowers all the agreeable sensations which are connected with it . Pain cannot be his pleasure ; so he avoids its infliction , unless good ends , other than his own gratification , are to be answered by it . His beast writhes not under those ebullitions of vindictive fury which often avenge the inconvenience of the master . Training is necessary for those employed in the service of man , and that may
imply blows . With him they are no heavier than required . His superior wisdom and foresight supply the defects of their want of reason , and make them his instruments . It is certain that the domestic animals multiply more rapidly than those in a wild state , and their security and apparent enjoyment are greater . The existence of a superior nature on the world of their habitation is evidently useful for the whole .
The frame of man disposes him to benevolence : the relation of a superior nature is for good to the inferior , and God formed that frame and constituted that relation . May we not infer something as to his character and plans ? By the way we may remark , that this mechanical provision in us for compassion , this propulsion to benevolence in us , indicates our duty , shews us in what the perfection of our nature consists , and marshals us the
path to real happiness . Not to cultivate our capacities for goodness is as absurd as depriving ourselves of a sense , and shutting out all the improvement which its use will bring , and all the enjoyment it would furnish . Without a benevolence , wide as the range of being , soaring to the throne of God , crouching to the very insect , and spreading its streams wide over the level of humanity , man fails of answering the end of his existence , and is but a blighted plant . All else were made for man , but man himself was made for this . His being is a means to this end—without it all is vanity .
The benevolent tendency of human nature in two ways proves the benevolence of God ; 1 st , design shews the disposition . A contrivance for final evil implies . the malignity of the contriver . If hatred had been essential to man , we might fairly have judged it essential to the Maker of man . The object of a plan must be one which the author regards with , complacency . Hence benevolence is lovely in the sight of Cod . It must , be , pre-eminently so for he has made man on purpose to exercise it , and to be happy in its exercise , 'jfhe more enlarged benevolence is , the greater is jthe , happiness of its possessor . In whichever direction it advances , it opens sources of
enjoyment . It goes , on vqyages of discovery , and comes baqk laden with mental , wealth . 'feiicity groyyswjth it unto perfection . Then the , love of Gpc ^ m ust be ( bpundlefs . J ^ . fmiyerse basks in his , s rn ^ fs , . and , h $ looks Qpwn , ^ blessed ^ on ^ is w ^ r ^—2 ci , Whatever q ^ good t ^ G cr # rture , has , mus ^ Srist . in ! a fa , r higher degree i p ^ e Creator . " He xha ^ plapVedthe ear shall % 9 * P £ f > » , 4 he tyflt f ° [ m eji , ihe , reye , shall he qot sep , ^? jft , a mqcfc of argument most strictl y a ppli apJ ^ ( amj finally corcju ^ ve ,, )^ , rrjoral e ^ qejfe nc ^ He tfi ^ f made ( tb $ , % a /^ of nma for benevoleftc ^ jnust ; be a rich $ W $ S . j * ° . % ? i ta , W ^^ t ^ d ,. ^ * MPPiy ^/ pmver ^ As pur ^ r en ^ h ia ^ our knowle ^ frjD # \ \ ) Qrnmscience , so is pur goodness trorn , his ^ beneyo | et | ce , ( and ^ t 19 £ s jin ( erior as the y are to the Infinite Original . In the relation of a superior to an inferior nature , in the higher power ,
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324 Hwmnnify to Animals .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1830, page 324, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2584/page/36/
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