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But as this folution fuppofes, that the moral government of the world muft proceed by general rules, it remains that we fhew the neceffity of this.

СНА Р. VII.

THE NECESSITY OF GENERAL

Y the

RULES.

OU cannot permit one action and forbid another, without fhewing a difference between them. Confequently, the fame fort of actions must be generally permitted or generally forbidden. Where, therefore, the general permiffion of them would be pernicious, it becomes neceffary to lay down and support the rule which generally forbids

them.

Thus, to return once more to the cafe of the affaffin. The affaffin knocked the rich villain on the head, because he thought him better out of the way than in it. If you allow this excufe in the prefent inftance, you must allow it to all, who act in the fame manner, and from the fame motive; that is, you must allow every man to kill any one he meets, whom he thinks noxious or ufelefs; which, in the event, would be to commit every man's life and fafety to the spleen, fury, and fanaticifm of his neighbour-a difpofition of affairs which would foon fill the world with mifery and confufion; and ere long put an end to human fociety, if not to the human Species.

The neceffity of general rules in human governments is apparent: but whether the fame neceffity fubfift in the divine economy, in that diftribution of E

rewards

rewards and punishments, to which a moralift looks forward, may be doubted.

I

I answer, that general rules are necessary to every moral government, and by moral government mean any difpenfation, whofe object is to influence the conduct of reasonable creatures.

For if, of two actions perfectly fimilar, one be punished, and the other be rewarded or forgiven, which is the confequence of rejecting general rules, the fubjects of fuch a difpenfation would no longer know, either what to expect or how to act. Rewards and punishments would ceafe to be fuch-——— would become accidents. Like the ftroke of a thunderbolt, or the difcovery of a mine, like a blank or a benefit ticket in a lottery, they would occafion pain or pleasure when they happened; but following in no known order, from any particular course of action, they could have no previous influence or effect upon the conduct.

An attention to general rules, therefore, is included in the very idea of reward and punishment. Confequently whatever reafon there is to expect future reward and punishment at the hand of God, there is the fame reafon to believe, that he will proceed in the diftribution of it by general rules.

Before we profecute the confideration of general confequences any farther, it may be proper to anticipate a reflection, which will be apt enough to fuggeft itfelf in the progrefs of our argument.

As the general confequence of an action, upon which fo much of the guilt of a bad action depends, confifts in the example, it should feem, that if the action be done with perfect fecrecy, fo as to furnish no bad example, that part of the guilt drops off.

In the cafe of fuicide, for inftance, if a man can so manage matters, as to take away his own life, without being known or fufpected to have done fo, he is not chargeable with any mifchief from the example; nor does his punishment feem neceffary, in order to fave the authority of any general rule.

In the first place, those who reason in this manner do not obferve, that they are fetting up a general rule, of all others the least to be endured; namely, that fecrecy, whenever fecrecy is practicable, will juftify any action.

Were fuch a rule admitted, for inftance, in the cafe above produced, is there not reafon to fear that people would be disappearing perpetually?

In the next place, I would with them to be well fatisfied about the points propofed in the following queries:

1. Whether the fcriptures do not teach us to expect that, at the general judgment of the world, the moft fecret actions will be brought to light?

2. For what purpose can this be, but to make them the objects of reward and punishment?

3. Whether, being fo brought to light, they will not fall under the operation of thofe equal and impartial rules, by which God will deal with his creatures?

They will then become examples, whatever they be now; and require the fame treatment from the judge and governor of the moral world, as if they had been detected from the firft.

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"In the day when God fhall judge the fecrets of men by Jefus Chrift." Rom. xi. 16—“ Judge nothing before the time until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things "of darknefs, and will make manifeft the councils of the heart." ❝ 1 Cor. iv. 5.

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СНА Р. VIII.

THE CONSIDERATION OF GENERAL CONSEQUENCES

T

PURSUED.

HE general confequence of any action may be estimated, by afking what would be the confequence, if the fame fort of actions were generally permitted.-But fuppofe they were, and a thousand fuch actions perpetrated under this permiffion; is it juft to charge a fingle action with the collected guilt and mischief of the whole thousand? I anfwer, that the reafon for prohibiting and punishing an action (and this reafon may be called the guilt of the action, if you please) will always be in proportion to the whole mifchief that would arife from the general impunity and toleration of actions of the fame fort.

"Whatever is expedient is right." But then it must be expedient upon the whole at the long run, in all its effects collateral and remote, as well as in those which are immediate and direct; as it is obvious, that, in computing confequences, it makes no difference in what way or at what distance they enfue.

To imprefs this doctrine upon the minds of young readers, and to teach them to extend their views beyond the immediate mischief of a crime, [ thall here fubjoin a ftring of inftances, in which the particular confequence is comparatively infignificant; and where the malignity of the crime, and the feverity with which human laws pursue it, is almost entirely founded upon the general confe

quence.

The

The particular confequence of coining is, the lofs of a guinea, or half a guinea, to the perfon who receives the counterfeit money; the general confequence (by which I mean the confequence that would enfue, if the fame practice were generally permitted) is, to abolish the ufe of money.

The particular confequence of forgery is, a damage of twenty or thirty pounds to the man who accepts the forged bill; the general confequence is, the ftoppage of paper currency.

The particular confequence of fheep-stealing, or horfe-stealing, is a lofs to the owner, to the amount of the value of the fheep or the horfe ftolen; the general confequence is, that the land could not be occupied, nor the market fupplied with this kind of ftock.

The particular confequence of breaking into a houfe empty of inhabitants is, the lofs of a pair of filver candlesticks, or a few fpoons; the general confequence is, that nobody could leave their house empty.

The particular confequence of fmuggling may be a deduction from the national fund too minute for computation: the general confequence is, the deftruction of one entire branch of public revenue; a proportionable increase of the burthen upon other branches; and the ruin of all fair and open trade in the article fmuggled.

The particular confequence of an officer's breaking his parole is, the lofs of a prifoner, who was poffibly not worth keeping; the general confequence is, that this mitigation of captivity would be

refused to all others.

And what proves inconteftibly the fuperior importance of general confequences is, that crimes. are the fame, and treated in the fame manner, though the particular confequence be very different. The crime and fate of the houfe-breaker is the fame, whether his booty be five pounds or fifty.

And

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