The poison contains the antidote; and we
either reform our evil habits and cease to sin against our own bodies,
to use the forcible language of scripture, or a premature death, the
punishment of sin, snaps the thread of life.
Here an awful stop is put to our inquiries.- But, why should I
conceal my sentiments? Considering the attributes of God, I believe
that whatever punishment may follow, will tend, like the anguish of
disease, to shew the malignity of vice, for the purpose of
reformation. Positive punishment appears so contrary to the nature
of God, discoverable in all his works, and in our own reason, that I
could sooner believe that the Deity paid no attention to the conduct
of men, than that he punished without the benevolent design of
reforming.
To suppose only that an all-wise and powerful Being, as good as he
is great, should create a being foreseeing, that after fifty or
sixty years of feverish existence, it would be plunged into never
ending woe- is blasphemy. On what will the worm feed that is never
to die? On folly, on ignorance, say ye- I should blush indignantly
at drawing the natural conclusion could I insert it, and wish to
withdraw myself from the wing of my God! On such a supposition, I
speak with reverence, he would be a consuming fire. We should wish,
though vainly, to fly from his presence when fear absorbed love, and
darkness involved all his counsels!
I know that many devout people boast of submitting to the Will of
God blindly, as to an arbitrary sceptre or rod, on the same
principle as the Indians worship the devil.
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