 Others, ariseth Pride. From the Eagerness of its grasping at all Advantages to itself, ariseth the Envy of any imaginary Advantage to Another. Pride, Covetousness, and Envy beget Hatred, Wrath and Contention, with every Species and Degree of Malevolence and Malignity; and the Disappointment of these Passions produces Rancour and Misery; and, Altogether, they constitute the whole Nature and Kingdom of Hell itself in the Soul.
But, when God is pleased to inform the Will of the Creature with any Measure of his own benign and benevolent Will, he steals it sweetly forth in Affection to Others. He speaks Peace to the Storm of rending Passions; and a new and delightful Dawning arises on the Spirit. And thus, on the grand and final Consummation, when every Will shall be subdued to the WILL OF GOOD TO ALL, our
Jesus
will take in Hand the resigned Cordage of our Hearts, he will tune them, as so many Instruments, to the Song of his own Sentiments, and will touch them with the Finger of his own divine Feelings. Then shall the Wisdom, the Might, and the Goodness of our God become the Wisdom, Might, and Goodness of all his intelligent Creatures. The Happiness of Each shall multiply and overflow, in the Wishes and Participation of the Happiness of All. The Universe shall begin to sound with the Song of Congratulation, and all Voices shall break forth in an eternal Hallelujah, of Praise transcending Praise, and Glory transcending Glory! to God and the Lamb!
Hasten, hasten that blessed Period, great God, we beseech thee! exclaimed the Earl. But, tell me, my heavenly Brother, for it is surely in Heaven that you hold your Conversation, and from whence you derive all your Knowledge and Lights; tell me then, is there no Distinction, no Preference, in Matter of Goodness, between Creature and Creature, between Man and Man? For this seems to be the Consequence of what You have set forth very nearly, I acknowledge, to mathematical Demonstration.
Your Question, my dear Lord, is very deep, said Mr.
Clinton,
and still leads to greater Depths than I would choose to disclose before our
Harry,
yet awhile. I will however attempt, in few and simple Words, to give you some Satisfaction on this most interesting Article.
There are two great and capital Errors, under which the World of Man hath laboured, and still continues to labour ever since the Creation. The
First
is, that of ascribing and imputing, to Ourselves, every Emotion and Inclination, toward Virtue or Goodness, that we seal within
