iples. But let us speak, as he speaks, in accordance
with his hypothesis, and let us assume with him that God chooses certain
creatures even though he be absolutely indifferent towards them. He will
then just as soon choose creatures that are irregular, ill-shapen,
mischievous, unhappy, chaos everlasting, monsters everywhere, [431]
scoundrels as sole inhabitants of the earth, devils filling the whole
universe, all this rather than excellent systems, shapely forms, upright
persons, good angels! No, the author will say, God, when once he had
resolved to create men, resolved at the same time to give them all the
advantages possible in the world, and it is the same with regard to
creatures of other kinds. I answer, that if this advantage were connected
of necessity with their nature, the author would be speaking in accordance
with his hypothesis. That not being so, however, he must admit that God's
resolve to give every possible advantage to men arises from a new election
independent of that one which prompted God to make men. But whence comes
this new election? Does it also come from mere indifference? If such is the
case, nothing prompts God to seek the good of men, and if he sometimes
comes to do it, it will be merely by accident. But the author maintains
that God was prompted to the choice by his goodness; therefore the good and
ill of creatures is no matter of indifference to him, and there are in him
primary choices to which the goodness of the object prompts him. He chooses
not only to create men, but also to create men as happy as it is possible
to be in this system. After that not the least vestige of mere indifference
will be left, for we can reason concerning the entire world just as we have
reasoned concerning the human race. God resolved to create a world, but he
was bound by his goodness at the same time to make choice of such a world
as should contain the greatest possible amount of order, regularity,
virtue, happiness. For I can see no excuse for saying that whereas God was
prompted by his goodness to make the men he has resolved to create as
perfect as is possible within this system, he had not the same good
intention towards the whole universe. There we have come back again to the
goodness of the objects; and pure indifference, where God would act without
cause, is altogether destroyed by the very procedure of our gifted author,
with whom the force of truth, once the heart of the matter was reached,
p