Remarks On the Internal Evidence for the Truth of Revealed Religion

oy much gratification through life; nor can it even be denied, that this gratification is derived in a great measure from their very vices. This fact is, no doubt, very perplexing, as every question must be which is connected with the origin of evil; but still, it is no more perplexing than the origin of evil, or than the hypothesis that our present life is a state of trial and discipline. Temptation to evil, evidently implies a sense of gratification proceeding from evil; and evil could not have existed without this sense of gratification connected with it. So, also, this life could not be a state of trial and discipline in good, unless there were some inducement or temptation to evil; that is, unless thero were some sense of gratification attending evil. It probably does not lie within the compass of human faculties to give a completely satisfactory answer to these questions; while yet it may be rationally maintained, that if there is a propriety in this life being a state of discipline, there must also be a propriety in sin being connected with a sense of gratification. But then, may not this vicious gratification be extended through eternity, as well as through a year or an hour ? I cannot see any direct impossibility in this supposition, on natural principles; and yet I feel that the assertion of it sounds very much like the contradiction of ail intuitive truth. There is a great difference between the happiness enjoyed with the approbation of cons... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.