drawn from our own notions of fitness, that He should: but, from the innate sense of good or ill desert, assuring us that He will. And this is corroborated, and almost verified, by the natural tendencies of virtue and vice; and by the fact that God does punish vicious actions, as such, in the strictest sense'. Hence, again, the general proof of religion is unanswerably real.

Natural religion hath also an external evidence, which the doctrine of necessity cannot affect. "That there is a God, the Maker, moral Governor, and Judge of mankind, who will deal with every one according to his works," is,-1st, A belief in some way or other professed in all ages and countries, as far as we know ; it is, 2ndly, An historical fact, that this whole system of belief was received in the first ages; and there is, 3rdly, Express historical or traditional evidence, that it was taught first by revelation. These things have great weight. The first shows it conformable to the common sense of mankind; the second corroborates its truth; and the third must be admitted as some real proof of a revelation; for why should not tradition be admitted as proof of a fact, against which there is no presumption? And this proof goes to show, that religion existed, prior to any book supposed to contain it.

1 See Chapter III. Section IV. page 34.

The above observations, taken altogether, amount to a real practical proof of religion; a proof sufficient to influence men of thought and reflection, if it be admitted that there is no proof to the contrary. But it is replied, "We need not dispute about the probable particulars, when the whole opinion is false: government, by rewards and punishments, implies we are free, and not necessary, agents; and it is impossible the Author of Nature should govern us, upon a supposition as true, which He knows to be false: hence it is absurd that He will punish or reward us for our actions, considered as good or bad.”

Here, then, the argument comes to a point; and the answer is plain. The whole constitution of nature and analogy of Providence clearly show this conclusion to be false, wherever the fallacy may happen to lie. The doctrine of freedom shows where; viz. in supposing ourselves necessary, instead of free, agents. But, upon the doctrine of necessity, the fallacy is, in asserting it to be "incredible that necessary agents should be rewarded or punished." This conclusion must, in some way, be false; for that God does govern His creatures by a method of rewards and punishments, is an evident fact, observable in the natural course of things around us.

If, then, it be incredible that necessary agents should be rewarded or punished, then men must be

CHAPTER VII

F THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD, CONSIDERED AS A OR CONSTITUTION, IMPERFECTLY COM

SCHEME

PREHENDED.

ARGUMENT.—Analogy, though being applicable only to facts, and, therefore, affording no direct answer to objections against the Wisdom and Goodness of God's moral government, is yet serviceable, by suggesting that the whole is a regular System; and, therefore, like the vast and complicated scheme of the natural world, above our comprehension. As the latter contains many things inexplicable; and some, to our limited view, apparently contradictory; which, nevertheless; make up a harmonious whole : so may it be with the moral world. Both of them may be so connected, as to form One vast System, of which we are utterly incompetent judges, both of their several parts, and of the means made use of. Frequent interpositions are incompatible with general laws. The very things objected to, may be actual instances of wisdom and good

free agents; but if they are necessary agents, then there is nothing incredible in their being rewarded or punished, since we, ourselves, are thus dealt with.

Hence the analogy of nature shows us, that the opinion of necessity, considered as practical, is false; and if, therefore, it doth not destroy the proof of natural religion, it can make no alteration in the proof of revealed; and, if necessity be reconcileable with the present constitution of things, it must be also reconcileable with religion.