328 RUIN AND RECOVERY, &c. vastly greater than the punishment of these who had much more virtue, and better sentiments and practices of piety. Nature teaches us to say with Abraham ; Gen. xviii. 25. Shall the righteous be as the wicked? That be far from the Lord : Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ? And therefore some of these heathens supposed the souls of these very vicious persons after death to be sent into sharper torments, and that for a longer duration, if not for all the lengthof their natural immortality. XIII. AndI think it may be also inferred, with some pro- bability, from the most abundant goodness of God, that if he does not entirely pardon the penitent, and if there be any punish- ments necessaryin the other world, for more virtuous persons by way of purgation, because even the best have sinned, not only these punishments shall be 'much lighter than the miseries of those vicious creatures who have lived a long life of constant impiety ;' buf it seems probable also from the same infinite good- ness, thát there will be some reward for those thathave sincerely repented of their sins, in the faith or hope of his mercy, have asked forgiveness oftheir Maker, and haveendeavoured to honour him, though with many imperfections, and to serve their fellow creatures from a right principleof love to God, and loveM. man, if any such shall be found among mankind. But this leads directly to the next question. QUEST. X: TGhat can the Reason of- Man, or the Light of ' Nature find out concerning the Recövery of Man to the Favour of God ? Or what Hope of Pardonand Happiness can sinful Mankind ever obtain by' the mere Exercises of their own Reason? Answer. Human reáson, exercising itself on this subject, might probably fall into such a'train of thoughts as this': Proposition I. It is certain that a sinner's repentance of past crimes, and asking forgiveness for them, together with sin. cere promises of better obedience, are no satisfaction to a gover- nor for the dishonour done tc his law by any capital offence Nor is it ever counted in human governments a compensation for the injury done by the criminal to the authority of the governor, or to the public welfare : And therefore the criminal amóug melt must be punished by the law, to guard the honour of the govern- ment, and secure obedience to the law, and he must yieldliis life for his offence, notwithstanding all his repentings: Nor is the governor thought too severe or cruel who requires it, nor -is his goodness blemished by it: And in the same way of reasoning, we may suppose that repentance, and asking forgiveness, and' better obedience for time to come, are by no means a satisfactiol
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