500 STRENGTII AND WEAKNESS Of DICJIAN REASON. . softened and relieved, I think you ought to esteem it a sufficient answer to the objection, as you- are a philosopher : But as I profess myself a christían, so I profess to believe most of these suppositions to be real truths, and thereforeI call them a scheme of actual considerations, which relieve this difficulty, and not merely an hypothesis. Loc. I long to hear these suppositions or considerations, call them what you please, set forth at large, and in their full strength and weight ; for I must acknowledge, since these our conferences, I find myself something disposed to hearken to them. PITIS. First then, let it be supposed, an I persuade myself you will readily assent to it, that when God made mankindat first, he gave them the knowledge of himself and of his will, so far as concerned their duty to him and to their fellow-creatures ; he furnished them with such principles and powers of reasoning and free choice, as were abundantly sufficient for them to find out and practise what he required of them, in order to their continuance in his favour And it is probable also, that he gave them encouragement to expect the rewards of piety and virtue, in some, future and happier state. But let it be supposed also, that he put them upml a state of trial by their own free choice, that they might enquire out and practise all their particular and daily duties, that they might chuse what was good, and refuse what was evil : whence it comes to pass, that though they were created fn'a state of innocence and virtue, and had powers given them richly sufficient to maintain it, yet they were capable of abusing these powers, of neglecting their duty, and of sinning against their Maker. Secondly, it is but reasonable also to suppose, that he gave them sufficient notice, or taught theirreason to inform them, that if they rebelled against him by neglecting their duty, or prac- tisingwhat was sinful, they should be exposed to his severe dis- pleasure, that they should be liable towhat pains and sorrows the wisdom and justice of their Maker and Governor thought pro- pet to inflict, as well as incur a forfeiture of such blessings and privileges, both corporeal and intellectual, as be had bountifully bestowed upon them. And amongthese pains and penalsorrows, it is not at all improbable to suppose, thattheir kind and bene- ficent Maker let them know, that if they indulged their appe- tites and passions in sensuality and vice; in excess and intem- perance, if they were carried away by the temptations of fleshor tense, to eat of such meats as they knew to be hurtful in their mature, or forbidden by their Maker, this would introduce dis- eases and pains into their animal nature, and expose their bodies to sickness and death, as well as their minds to the anguish of conscience, and the bitter reflections that would arise from their 'sown abusedpowers and blessings.
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