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Answer

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or, tho' ever fo well verfed in Church"Hiftory, can, from the Conduct of Chriftians, find that they are arriv'd

to any higher State of Perfection, than "the reft of Mankind, who are fuppos'd to continue in their Degeneracy and Corruption?"

It would but badly become us, who ed, by have fuch imperfect Notions of the thata Re- Things, that are before us, to pry into the velation Counfels of the Almighty; but there are certo fome tain hints, which may be gather'd from the Works of his Creation and Providence, than o- to teach us the Reasons of his other Difconfonant penfations. 'Tis allow'd on all Hands, that God", for the greater display of his Creation Goodness, has very wifely created difand Pre- tinct Orders of intelligent Beings, one above another; and, confequently, that there is a very great Inequality between the several Parts of the moral Creation. Every one, that looks into the World, will find, that Men have not, only vaftly different Capacities for discovering the Obligations of true Religion and Morality, but that their Opportunities and Advantages likewife are different. Some not only enjoy greater Strength of Rea. fon, but are much more likely (if their Faculties

b Fefter's Ufefulness of the Chriftian Revelation.

Faculties were but equal) confidering the Circumftances, in which they are placed, to form righter Notions about these important Points, than others : and, if the Rectitude of human Nature confifts in the Practice of Virtue, these Perfons certainly enjoy better Means, and more favourable Opportunities, of pursuing their fupreme rational Happinefs, than thofe, whofe Knowledge, and, confequently, whofe Practice of Religion and Morality is corrupted and depraved by falfe and difhonourable Notions of God, and by a low and extravagant Superftition. Now, as there is apparently a Diverfity of Beings, and, among Beings of the fame Species, a Diverfity of Gifts and Capacities, of Administrations and Means, in the rational Syftem; why may not the great Governor of the World make the fame, or a greater Difference between Mankind by a particular Revelation, granting it to fome, and denying it to others, as is moft vifibly and conftantly made in the common Course of his Providence?

A Revelation, in fhort, is a volun- Is no Intary Favour and Donation of God, which, fance of however we may wish or defire, we have Partiality, no Right to claim and demand; and

therefore,

as God is not oblig'd to
make

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с Clarke's Evidence.

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make all his Creatures equal, to make Men Angels, and endow them with the fame Faculties and Capacities; fo neither is he bound to make all Men capable of the fame Degree, or of the fame kind of Happiness; or afford all Men the fame Means and Opportunities of obtaining it. For we mistake the Matter much, if we think, that the Impartiality of God confifts in treating all his Creatures, even of the fame Species, alike. It does not ftint him in the free Diftribution of his. Favours, wherein he may act with what Variety, and make what Difference, he pleases; but it regards chiefly, if not altogether, the Execution of Juftice: and the most that it fuppofes is, that God is equally defirous, that all Men fhould obtain that Happiness, which is fuitable to their particular Stations, Capacities, and Circumftances; and that, in Quality of their Governor and Judge, he has given them fufficient Means to know and practise all, that he requires of them; and will equally favour and reward the equally fincere (whatever the Difference of their Advantages be) in Proportion to their Tho', a Improvements and Services.

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Token of Had we indeed any reafon to think,.

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Fefter's Ufefulness. eBp of Lond. 2d. Paft. Let.

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Tranfgreffion of any Duty, which they did not, and could not, know to be their Duty; and that he would make them accountable for not, being influenced by Motives, that he had never laid before them; this would make it difficult to reconcile fuch a Proceeding with the divine Juftice. But, fince the contrary to this is true; fince it is indifputably certain, that he will not punish Men for their invincible Ignorance; furely he is at liberty to difpence his extraordinary Favours, at what times, and in what Measures; to what Nations, and to what Perfons, he thinks fit. For may not he do what he will with his own? and why fhould our Eye be evil, because he is good? Why fhould we murmur or complain, that he raises us to greater Degrees of Perfection, in order to advance us to greater Degrees of Happiness and Glory? And what a provoking Inftance of Perverfeness is it, to refufe his Favours, for the very Reason, which ought to encrease our Thankfulnefs for them, namely, that he vouchfafes them to us, and not to others?

But after all, it must be acknowledg'd, And all 8 that a divine Revelation is not owing reated by along dito the Juftice or free Goodness of God, his Foreeither feperately or jointly confider'd, but knowledge

Ii 2

Matth. xx. 15. Law' Cafe of Reafon.

of what to is beft,

to the Goodness, Mercy, and Juftice of God, governed and directed by his eternal Fore-knowledge of all the Effects, which any Revelation, at any time, can have. For God ordains a Revelation in this or that Manner, Time, and Place, not because it is a Juftice, that he cannot refufe; not because it is a Matter of Favour and free Goodness, and therefore may be given, or with-holden at Pleafure; but because he has the whole Duration of humane Things, the whole Race of Mankind, the whole Order of humane Chances and Events, the whole Combination of all Causes and Effects of humane Tempers, all the Actions of Free-agents, and all the Confequences of every Revolution, plainly in his Sight; and according to this eternal Fore-knowledge, every Revelation receives every thing that is particular in it. He fhews his Goodnefs in a Revelation to this part of the World, for Inftance, not because it is a part, that alone wants it; not because he can beRow his Favours, as he pleases; but because, by acting in this manner with fuch a part, he best shews his Kindness and Regard to the whole. And in like manner he reveals himfelf at fuch a time, not because he, at that time, begins to have a partial and particular Kindness,

but

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