SECT: III.

Concerning the Question, Why bad Men are hap py, and good Men miferable.

This Que- I.

tion has

bee fo

1

well treat

THI

HIS Queftion feems to have fome relation to the former. For if Punishment, that is, Natural Evils, be inflicted in Proportion to the defert of Evil Elections, whence come good things to evil Men, and Evil to the Good? Tis not fo that there difficult to answer this Question upon the Suppofi any room tion of a future State, as to make it neceffary for ffcruple us to infift much upon it. And it must be confefs'd,

ed by mony,

is fcarce

The mat

that it has been treated of in a very proper Manner by feveral Writers: (92.) fo that there's fcarce any Room for Scruple. Nevertheless a few things fhall be touch'd upon, and very briefly, that we may not repeat what has been faid already.

II. In the first place then the matter of Fact is very ter of Fact often doubtful, notwithstanding the Complaints which Perfons make to the contrary. We fee indeed

is of en

doubtful:

for it is

not good

many

good Men that are miferable, but rather reform'd by Adverfity: Nor are bad Men profperous, but made bad by Profperity.

NOTES.

(92.) Viz. Sherlock on Judgment, Ch. 1. §. 3. p. 76, Ift Edit.. -on Providence. Ch. 7. p. 258. 2d Edit. Cudworth, p. 877. Cockburn, Effay 5. prop. 7, 8. p. 137, . Wollaston, 71, and 110, &c. Cradock on Eccl. 9. 2. Seneca, Ep. 24. Fiddes's Sermons, Fol. 14 and 19. Scott, 2 vol. Ch 4. §. 3. p. 331, &. 8vo. and Difcourfe 16, p. 320, &r. 2d vol. Fol. Stilling fleet, Origines Sacra, B. 3. Ch. 3. §. 21. p. 326, &c. Fol. Grew, Cofmologia Sacra, B. 3. Ch. 2. § 57, 58.

good Men frequently miferable, but it is a Query whether their Goodness may not be owing to their Mifery, and they would have prov'd wicked if they had been tempted by Profperity? It is not the Good then that are afflicted, but the miferable that are reclaimed. On the other hand, we behold happy, rich, and powerful Men that are wicked; but their Wickedness may be attributed to their Profperity, and they would perhaps be very good if the Incitements to Evil were removed. 'Tis not the Wicked therefore that are happy, but the hap py that are corrupted with Prosperity, and thereby fall into Wickedness.

Merit:

III. Secondly, We are blinded with Prejudice, We are and thereby render'd very partial Judges of the partial Goodness or Badness of other Men. He that is Judges of our Acquaintance and befriends us is a good Man, from the he that favours our Enemies is a very bad one, inftance Thus Scipio is celebrated by the Roman Hiftorians, of Hanniand if any hard or unprofperous Accident befal bal and Scipio. him, they begin to ask whether there be any Gods? Whether Divine Providence takes care of human Affairs? But Hannibal is condemn'd, his Victories are charged as Crimes on Providence, and they repine at his having been fo long fuccefsful. Whereas tis really dubious whether of the two was the worse Man; both certainly were very bad: For their Aim was to put the World into Confufion, to fubdue Nations by force of Arms, the one intending to make Carthage, the other Rome, the Head of the World, by Slaughter, Rapine, War, and Injustice. Now the Man that ftudies to oppreis the whole World in Servitude, and bring it under the Power of that Nation to which he belongs, this Man is truly wicked and unworthy of Succefs, however he may veil his Ambition, Pride, and Fury in fome particular Inftances, under the fpecious pretence of Clemency and Love of his Country. IV. Thirdly,

We are

of the

the most

efleem

and the

IV. Thirdly, as we are partial Judges of the bad Judges Deferts of other Men, fo are we no lefs unqualiHappiness fy'd to pronounce on their Felicity. For we are taof Men: ken with the pomp, and noise, and glittering outfor thofe fide of things, and confequently judge the Rich, are often the Potent, the Noble, and the Learned to be miferable happy; but the Poor, Ignoble and Unletter'd, whom we miferable. And yet herein we are very frequently mistaken, fince neither of them are what they aphappy pear to be. For Life is often attended with more contrary. Happiness among Cottages, Hufbandry, and Trade, nay in the midft of Bodily Pains and Diseases; than among Sceptres, Diadems, high Pedigrees, and fuperfluous Heaps of Books; fince, as we have fhewn before, and Experience teftifies, Happiness lies chiefly, if not folely, in Election. The chief V. Fourthly, It is to be obferved, that the Hoppiness greatest Part of the Happiness of this Life confifts here con- in Hope, and that the Fruition of the defired ObHope; ject is not anfwerable to the Hope pre-conceived, which is a which must be esteem'd an Indication that complete fign that Happiness is referv'd by Nature for another Life; perfect the more then we afpire after, and adhere to the Happines is referved prefent Objects, the lefs Care we fhall take of those things which tend to our future Happiness. It was ther Life, therefore wifely provided by God, that the Good fhould not be corrupted with too plentiful an Enthings joyment of the things of this World, but that the which be Bad fhould have them in abundance: For by this good or means all may understand that their time ought had Men, not to be spent in these things, but that the Space of this fhort Life fhould be employed in looking after other Matters, i. e. fuch as regard Eternity.

fits in

for ano

and all

these

are means

to it.

To conclude, we muft affirm that nothing happens to good Men which may not prove a Means of greater Good; nor to the Bad, which may not be for their Punishment or Reformation,

VI. And

whole.

VI. And I hope it appears from what has been Conclufaid, that the Objections of the Manicheans and fion of the Paulicians are not fo formidable as they have feem'd to fome; and that human Reason is not fo blind but that it can folve thefe Difficulties from the Principles laid down, and fuch Suppofitions as are generally admitted; and tho' not abfolutely certain, yet probable however, and fuch as we ufe to acquiefce in, in the Solution of other Phænomena. But I offer all these things to the Censure of the Learned: I fubmit them entirely to the Judgment of the Catholic Church, efpecially to the Governours of thofe Parts of it which conftitute the Churches of England and Ireland. If there be any thing herein which feems not perfectly agreeable to their Faith, as I hope there is not, and would not have it, I defire that may be look'd upon as abfolutely unfaid and retracted.

FINIS.