There is a wide difference between the ten- of creation, we may suppose that all possidency to the production of evil, and the actual ble systems were present to his mind. All production of it. It might be strictly impos- which infinite power and wisdom could efsible even for an infinite power and wisdom fect, in the production of happiness, must to prevent the liability to evil, while an effec- have been known to him, because his knowtual and sure provision might be made against ledge is absolute and perfect. This amount the actual existence of it. A tendency to of happiness he must have determined to proevil, not in the nature of things to be avoid- duce, because, since he could have engaged ed, might be counteracted with absolute cer- in this work only to communicate happiness, tainty, and forever, either by a modification it is inconceivable that he should have chosen of the laws of motion, or by rendering some the lesser in preference to the greater good.motions corrective of others; because all na- It has been shown that he could not commutural evil is the consequence, either of some nicate absolute perfection to any creature.property imparted to matter, or of some law That degree of perfection, which his infinite to which matter endowed with certain pro- wisdom perceived to be the highest that it perties is subjected. Any evil produced by would, upon the whole, be best to impart, he any property or law might have been prevent- communicated, and to as great a number of ed by changing the property or modifying the intelligences as possible; possible, that is, law, or by making some other property or law in consistency with the greatest sum of hapcounteract the operation of the one in ques-piness. These creatures occupying the first rank in the creation, he endowed with certain

tion.

The disunion of bodies, and the formation natures and attributes; but, the universe beof new compounds—that is, their continual transition, through the processes of dissolution and recomposition-do not comprehend the whole class of natural evils. Pain of body, uneasiness of mind, ungratified appetite, and death, must be included in this number. These can by no means be considered as evils which are absolutely inseparable from material beings-because man in a state of innocence was without them-and they will not annoy the happiness of the celestial world. The relative circumstances of beings might have been so ordered, as perfectly to exclude them. Their existence, therefore, cannot, like the evil of defect, be referred to the unalterable nature of things. In whatever degree they exist, they exist by the will and appointment of the Creator. Even with our imperfect knowledge, we can clearly perceive how he might prevent them. Why, then, does he not prevent them?

ing as full of these as possible, there might still be room for others of different natures and different attributes. These latter might not at all interfere with the former. Inferior they must be, but though inferior they might still possess a high degree of excellence, and enjoy an incalculable amount of happiness.Their imperfection could not possibly detract from the enjoyment of the higher order, but only in a certain measure from their own; and, after the necessary allowance is made for this, there might be left a vast balance of excellence and happiness. Now that balance, to whatever it amount, is obviously just so much excellence and happiness produced in the creation, which could not have been produced, had the higher order only existed; that is, had not the degree of imperfection necessarily attached to the inferior order been permitted. When, again, we suppose the universe to be as full as possible of creatures in It is self-evident, that the answer to this the second rank, we can imagine a third orquestion must be totally different from the an- der still inferior to the second, and so constiswer to the question, why has he not made all tuted as not at all to interfere with it; then things absolutely perfect? Absolute perfec- we can conceive of a fourth, subordinate to tion it is out of the power of Omnipotence it- the third, and a lower still, and yet a lower. self to communicate, because absolute per- According to this supposition, there is a scale fection in a creature is a contradiction in of being, at the top of which is the Great terms. But pain of body, uneasiness of mind, First Cause of all. Between him and the disappointment of appetite, death, the sepa- highest created intelligence there is an infinite ration and corruption of the parts of any, and distance, but from the highest order of creaof all sensitive creatures, it is in his power to tures, a gradation to the bottom of the scale, prevent at all times and in a perfect measure. which is nothing, or non-existence-every inWhy, then, has he not prevented them?-termediate degree being full-full of creatures, Because they are necessary to his plan.- happy according to their several powers and They are the instruments he has chosen to capacities-all subserving the most important accomplish the wise and beneficent purposes ends to themselves and the system, and the of his creation. They are as much a part of higher orders never interfering with the lowbenevolence, and as real an evidence of it, er, nor the lower with the higher. In relation as the most exquisite pleasures he has com- to subjects so much above our present knowmunicated, because they are agents by the ledge and capacity, it becomes us to think operation of which he perceived that he could and speak with the greatest diffidence and huproduce the largest amount of happiness.mility; but there is something so reasonable It is of the utmost importance, that the mind should have a clear perception of this truth, and an undoubting conviction of it.

When the Deity determined on the work

and beautiful in this conception, and it leads us to form such exalted apprehensions of the wisdom and goodness of the Creator, that we can scarcely be wrong in cherishing it.