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An Examination of the Doctrine of Future Retribution (1846)
An Examination of the Doctrine of Future Retribution - 1846 Author:Hosea Ballou Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: DOCTRINE FUTURE RETRIBUTION. CHAPTER I. RETRIBUTION CONSIDERED IN CONNEXION WITH THE MORAL NATURE OF MAN. Proposition. By a careful and studied refer... more »ence to the moral constitution of man, and the laics by which the human mind is governed, it is ascertained that true religion has no need of a belief in a future state of rewards and punishments for its establishment and prosperity among men, The moral tendency of doctrine, hav- Examination ing now extensively engaged the atten- question tion of theorists, is fast advancing its desirable, interest in the minds of people generally; and divines of different denominations are, therefore, desirous of recommending their respective tenets to the consideration and acceptance of the public, by inducing a belief that they are justly entitled to a preference above all others, on account of their evident tendency to moral virtue. This state of things ought not to be considered as undesirable, for it will eventually lead to most salutary consequences. In fact, it shows, most evidently, that moral -virtue is held in such high estimation, that it is worthy of being made the umpire, to whose decision contending theologians must submit their respective theories. This must be a subject of congratulation to every lover of moral virtue; for here he sees all, who are engaged in disputes about their varying and conflicting creeds, paying a voluntary homage to what he so warmly loves, and to which his heart is sincerely devoted. It is true that the good, of which we here speak, must be found mixed with some evil, as are all other favorable things and circumstances, enjoyed in this world. There will be found in the many pleas which are, and will be offered by partisans in favor of their respective, darling tenets, some unkind insinuations...« less