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النشر الإلكتروني

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

240 249

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN POUNDATIONS. 1901

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ib.

The whole Species formed naturally ca-
pable of future Happiness
Difficulties in the Divine Economy of
the moral World attempted to be
eleared up

Difficulties to be expected, and even to

be looked upon as a Beauty, in a

Scheme so august and extensive

of our Obligations with respect to our
Creator; and first, Of impressing our
Minds with a rational and practical
Belief of his Existence

Of his Right to our Obedience and Ado-

On the Omnipresence of God--his
Eternity-his Power-his Wisdom--
and his Goodness

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Of Fear

ib.

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The Doctrine of Providence, though a
Point of Natural Religion, more pro-
perly considered under Revelation;
as receving from thence its chief
Confirmations

Arguments for its Truth, first, from

Reason, as from the Necessity of a

continued Divine Interposition, and

Agency, in the Natural World

Other Arguments and Presumptions

from Reason

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Simplicity of the Narration, an Argu-
ment for the Truth of the Accounts
given in Holy Scripture

146

148

Revelation analogous to the Constitu
tion and Course of the World
Absurdity of opposing Revelation on
account of its not suiting our pre-con-
ceived Notions

Difficulties to be expected in a Reve.

lation from God

Difficulties no objection; though direct

absurdities and Contradictions are 150

That Revelation might be expected
to suit our Notions in some particu.
lars, and in others to differ froin them 151
Of the Scripture-Style

SECTION II.

A Compendious View of the Scheme
of Divine Revelation
Thoughts on the Extent of the Pros
peet opened by Revelation
The Accounts given by it, plainly supe
rior to Humon Sagacity
Of the Creation-the Fail, and Death,
its Consequence of the first Prophe
cy of a future Restoration of "Man-
kind-of the general Deluge-the
Nonchic Dispensation-the Tower of
Babel-the Destruction of the Cities
of the plain-the call of Abraham-
the miraculous History of his Poste-
rity, the Israelites and Jews-the Di

153

155

156

157

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DIGNITY

OF

HUMAN NATURE.

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BOOK III.-CONTINUED.

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OF VIRTUE.

SECTION V.

The present very proper for a state of Discipline. Objections answered.

WERE we to imagine a plan of a state of discipline, for improving a species of beings, such as ours, for high stations, and extensive usefulness, in future states; how could we suppose it contrived in any manner that should be materially different from the state we find ourselves in? What scheme could be imagined, likely to answer the purposes of planting in the mind of the creature the necessary habit of obedience to the Supreme Being; of giving it an inviolable attachment to virtue, and horror at irregularity; and of teaching it to study a rational and voluntary concurrence with the general scheme of the Governor of the Universe; what method, I say, can we conceive of for these noble purposes, that should not take in, among others, the following particulars, viz. That the species should be furnished with sufficient capacity, and advantages of all kinds, for distinguishing between right and wrong that the ingenuity of their dispositions, and the strength of their virtue, should have full exercise, in order both to its trial, and its improvement: that they should have rewards and punishments set before them, as the most powerful motives to obedience: and that, upon the whole, they should have it fairly in their power to attain the end of their being put in a state of discipline ?

If we consider the present as a state of discipline, all is ordered as should be. We enter into life with minds wholly unfurnished with ideas, attachments, or biasses of any

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kind. After a little time, we find certain instincts begin to act pretty strongly within us, which are necessary to move us to avoid what might be hurtful, and pursue what is useful to the support of the animal frame; and these instincts are appointed to anticipate reason, which does not at first exert itself; and bring us that by mechanical means, which we are not capable of being worked to by rational considerations. Nature has ordered that our parents shall be so engaged to us by irresistible affection, as to be willing to undertake the office of caring for us in our helpless years; of opening and cultivating our reason, as soon as it begins to appear; and of forming us by habit, by precept, and example, to virtue and regularity. As we advance in life, our faculties, by habitually exerting them upon various objects, come to enlarge themselves so as to take in a wider compass. We become then capable of reasoning upon actions, and their consequences, and accordingly, do, in general, reason justly enough about matters of right and wrong, where passion does not blind and mislead us. When we come into the vigorous and flourishing time of life, excited by our passions and appetites, without which, with the slow degree of reason we then enjoy, we should be but half animated, we proceed to enter into various scenes of action. It is true, that innumerable irregularities and follies are the consequence. But without passions and appetites, we could not be the compounded creatures we are, nor consequently fill our proper station between the angelic and animal ranks. Here then is the proper opportunity for exercising our virtue; for habituating us to keep continually on our guard against innumerable assaults; for watching over ourselves, that we may not be surprized, and fall before temptation; or if we fall, that by suffering from our errors, we may be moved to greater diligence and attention to our duty, to a stronger attachment to virtue, and a more fixed hatred to the crimes which have brought such sufferings upon us. And though the necessary propensions of our nature do indeed eventually lead us, through our own folly, into irregularity and vice, it must yet be owned at the same time, that by the wise and kind constitution of nature, we have innumerable natural directions, and ad

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