s_ and _miserable_
Condition of all Mankind, not excepting the Elect themselves, under
the Government of such an arbitrary Being.

To begin with the first. That God is a _Sovereign_, we readily
allow: But it will not therefore follow, he is _morally capable_ of
doing any thing, in its _own Nature_, immoral or unjust. All
religious Debates are allowed to be best determinable by the divine
Attributes; and yet nothing is more common, than to single out, and
lay the greatest Stress on, that Attribute alone, which appears best
to suit our own particular Opinions: which, however innocent our
Intention may be, is, I think, in itself, a very erroneous and
unwarrantable Procedure; for as God is _all-wise_ and _good_, as
well as _almighty_ and _independent_, it is, in the Nature of
Things, impossible (and therefore we should never admit it possible)
he should be capable (in a moral Sense, I mean) of exerting any one
particular Attribute in _Opposition_ to, or _Diminution_ from,
another. A _Sovereign_ he is, nor can any Creature whatever dispute
his _unlimited_ and _uncontroulable_ Power over his _whole
Creation_. But Power alone, without Wisdom and Goodness to make a
right Use and Application of it, may be perfect _Frenzy_, and run
into the greatest Latitude of _Folly_ and _Tyranny_. It is, if I may
be allowed the Comparison, like a _Vessel_ that has lost its Helm,
continually exposed to the tossing of Winds and Waves. To talk,
therefore, of _mere Sovereign Pleasure_, without Regard to the
proper Reason or Fitness of Things, so far operating and bring in
the _Divine Mind_ (and which is nothing more than the Presence and
Operation of his own Wisdom) in order to prefer what, in its own
Nature, is _best_, and _fittest_ to be done, is excluding from the
Deity, those _more_ blessed and _valuable Perfections_ of _Wisdom_
and _Goodness_, and establishing in their room, and at their
Expence, mere Sovereign Power alone. _Physically speaking_ indeed,
we allow God can do Evil itself; but the moral Perfections of his
Nature, are to us an _infallible_ and _unshaken Security_, that he
_never will_ do it. _Man_ being an impotent and fallible Creature,
liable, not only to mistake the true Nature and importance of
Things, but when he does understand his Duty rightly, liable also,
thro' the Prevalence of _Habit_ and _Passion_, to be very backward
and defective in performing it, must necessarily be subject to such
Laws, as contain in them Rewards