292 Rill WettLn 1`O COME. as well at of hit goodness and pity, as I shall thew under the next answer. At pretent let us represent the case in a common instance. When crinílnals go to execution from month to month, or from year to year, in this great city ; and especially if some of them have a handsome and agreeable appearance, and if they art; Wringing their hands with outcries, and vexing their own hearts, and are stung by their own consciences for their having brought this misery upon themselves, you will find several of the specta- tors of so tender a make as to grieve for the execution of such criminals, and to wish in their hearts it was in their power to save them. And yet further, if there are numbers of these wicked creatures that are sent at once to the punishment of the sword or the gallows, there may be many of these spectators grieving for them, and pitying them, and perhaps exclaiming against the severity of the law, and the cruelty of the Judge, for condemning such malefactors to death. But do all these weepers and complainers judge justly of the case ? Do they consider how pernicious and ruinous a thing it would be to a government to let such traitors go unpunished Do they know that it is a piece of clemency and goodness to the innocent to punish the wicked ? Or that it is a piece of necessary honour due to the laws, to make those who insolently break thefts sustain the penalty that the law has appointed ? Do they remem- ber that the few good qualities, or supposed talents, or fine appearances which these offenders are possessed of, should out- weigh the demands of the law and justice, the peace of tht nation or kingdom, and the restraint of others froti the samò crimes ? II. The goodness of God, the eternal spirit, is a much superior thing to the tenderness and compassion of man dwelling in flesh and blood. Man grows compassionate by a sort of sym- pathy or sensation of the miseries which his fellow-creatures en- dure ; and though this is exceeding useful for many purposes of human life, and therefore God planted it in our natures ; yet it has so much mixture of animal nature with it, that it frequently degenerates into weakness, fondness, and folly." And indeed; if every tender creature must be gratified in this weakness, and form the rules of government, there would never a malefactor fall under execution, but the vilest criminals would be soared, though the government were ruined. Ou the other hand, the goodness or mercy of God is a se- date willingness or design to do good to creatures, and pardon- 'lady to the miserable, but always according to the directions of wisdom and holiness. As God cannot have such anger, resent - ment, or cruelty in bis nature, as mankind May fall into when they are punishing offenders, so properly speaking, he has nor'
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