well if it were observed by all who may be disposed to assail an
adversary's scheme with objections. Every such person should first ask
himself whether his objection might not be retorted, or the shaft be
hurled back with destructive force at the assailant. But although the
remark of Archbishop Whately is both wise and just, it is not altogether
so in its application to Archbishop King, or to other Arminians. For
example, it is conceded by Dr. Reid, that he had not found the means of
reconciling the existence of moral evil with the perfections of God; but
is this any reason why he should not shrink with abhorrence from the
doctrine of necessity which so clearly appeared to him to make God the
direct and proper cause of moral evil? "We acknowledge," says he, "that
nothing can happen under the administration of the Deity which he does not
permit. The permission of natural and moral evil is a phenomenon which
cannot be disputed. To account for this phenomenon under the government of
a Being of infinite goodness, has, in all ages, been considered as
difficult to human reason, whether we embrace the system of liberty or
that of necessity." But because he could not solve this difficulty, must
he therefore embrace, or at least cease to object against every absurdity
which may be propounded to him? Because he cannot comprehend why an
infinitely good Being should permit sin, does it follow that he should
cease to protest against making God the proper cause and agent of all
moral evil as well as good? In his opinion, the scheme of necessity does
this; and hence he very properly remarks: "This view of the divine nature,
the only one consistent with the scheme of necessity, appears to me much
more shocking than the permission of evil upon the scheme of liberty. It
is said, that it requires only _strength of mind_ to embrace it: to me it
seems to require much strength of countenance to profess it." In this
sentiment of Dr. Reid the moral sense and reason of mankind will, I have
no doubt, perfectly concur. For although we may not be able to clear up
the stupendous difficulties pertaining to the spiritual universe, this is
no reason why we may be permitted to deepen them into absurdities, and
cause them to bear, in the harshest and most revolting form, upon the
moral sentiments of mankind.

The reason why Dr. Reid and others could not remove the great difficulty
concerning the origin of evil is, as we have seen, because they proceeded