NATURAL THEOLOGY. 161 



is not a state of punishment. It suits with none 

 of these suppositions. It accords much better 

 with the idea of its being a condition calculated 

 for the production, exercise, and improvement of 

 moral qualities, with a view to a future state, in 

 which these qualities, after being so produced, ex- 

 ercised, and improved, may, by a new and more 

 favourable constitution of things, receive their re- 

 ward, or become their own. If it be said, that 

 this is to enter upon a religious rather than a phi- 

 losophical consideration, I answer, that the name 

 of Religion ought to form no objection if it shall 

 turn out to be the case that the more religious our 

 views are, the more probability they contain. 

 The degree of beneficence, of benevolent inten- 

 tion and of power, exercised in the construction 

 of sensitive beings, goes strongly in favour, not 

 only of a creative, but of a continuing care, that is, 

 of a ruling Providence. The degree of chance 

 which appears to prevail in the world, requires to 

 be reconciled with this hypothesis. Now it is one 

 thing to maintain the doctrine of Providence along 

 with that of a future state, and another thing with- 

 out it. In my opinion, the two doctrines must 

 stand or fall together. For although more of this 

 apparent chance may perhaps, upon other princi- 

 ples, be accounted for than is generally supposed, 

 yet a future state alone rectifies all disorders ; and 

 if it can be shown that the appearance of disorder 

 is consistent with the uses of life as di preparatory 

 state, or that in some respects it promotes these 

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