266 kmN AND RECOVERY, &O. Doth reason, or doth scripture give us any hint of this kind ? And yet further, how can any creature know what they are punished for ? And what wise or good design can this their punishment obtain, when no creature can know what they are punished for in their infancy, if it be not for some universal de- generacy of all the race ? But because I would answer all the objections I can think of which have the appearance of reason, I would proceed in this work. Against all these representations of human infelicity and misery, in older or younger years, perhaps, some persons may make this remonstrance : Is not the great God infinite in good- ness ? Do not his tender mercies spread over all his works? Does not that Moses, the Jewish law-giver, who has been cited and called to attest the miseries of man, does he not represent God as merciful and gracious, abundant in goodness`. Ex. xxxiv. 6. How is this consistent with such miseries reigning among his creatures ? I answer, If we consider mankind as a sinful degenerate part of God's creation, it is most abundant goodnessthat they have any comforts left, and that their miseries are not doubled :' NowMoses and the Jewish writers do consi- der mankind as fallen from God, and so his goodness is evident in a thousand instances; though it must be confessed there are also thousands of instances of his just hatred of sin, 'and his righteous punishments scattered all around this world among all nations andall ages of men. Some have been so weak as to reckon up a largecatalogue of the instances of divine bounty and goodness in this lower world, and add thereto the revelation and proposal of his saving grace ; and they would make this as evident a proof that man- kind stands in the favour of God, as all the other instances of the miseries of human life can be any proof of an universal de- generacy of men, and the anger of God against them. Butit is very easy to reply, That the goodness of God may incline him tobestow a thousand bounties and graces upon criminals and their whole race: But I think his justice and goodness will not suffer him to inflict miseries in such an universal manner, where there has been no sin to deserve them, either in permits or children, in head or members, in themselves or their repre. sentative, ha will 'appear in what follows hereafter; but I would not anticipate my design, and bring in this before its time. XI. If we collect and put together all these scenes of iniquity, folly, and wretchedness, even among the better sort of men, as well as the worst, anti that even in younger years, as well as in more advanced age,' and take a survey of them in their total sum, it is sufficiently 'evident that creatures ly- ing in such sinful and miserable circumstances, disobedient to
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