In stating the various theories that have been sug gested to account for the origin and existence of evil, we may, without encroaching on the province of theo logy, be permitted to advert to the most ancient account of this subject ; which is professedly not a theory, but a statement of historical facts. The account is, that God created man at first upright ; but that he fell from his innocence and happiness by eating of the fruit of a certain tree, of which God had commanded him not to eat. There is no violation of probability or verisimili tude in this account. On the contrary, there are nu merous memorials in the traditional histories of all na tions, which bear a striking resemblance to this state ment. The Grecian account approaches nearest to that of the sacred record. It celebrates the innocence and happiness of the golden age ; and tells us that this de sirable state of things was destroyed by the theft of Pro metheus, who stole fire from heaven ; and that the gods, to revenge his sacrilege, sent forth hosts of diseases and crimes to desolate the earth.
The coincidence between this account and that con tained in Scripture, is too striking to be accidental. The offence and the punishment bear such a resem blance, that both accounts must evidently refer to the same event ; and we would naturally assign the supc tiority, in point of authenticity, to the account which we know to be the most ancient. We do not, however, positively affirm, that the various accounts of the original innocence and fall of man, so widely disseminated through out the world, have all been immediately derived from the Scripture history. We would rather suppose that the knowledge of these interesting facts was universally diffused ; that it remained uncorrupted among the JCWS, by being so early embodied in the record of their history and laws ; whilst among other nations, being left to float down the uncertain channel of tradition, it assumed those various appearances which have so much obscured and disguised the truth.
The features of probability which distinguish the Scripture account, are, first, that God prescribed to man a test of obedience, in his state of innocence; for with out such a test he could not have been a moral and ac countable being : he could have had no choice between gond and evil, and therefore could not have been a pro per object either of punishment or reward. And, se condly, the test prescribed being of a positive and arbi trary kind, was perfectly adapted to the singular circum stances in which man was placed on his creation, in rhich, as far as we can perceive, he could enly sin against an arbitrary statute.
But the difficulty lies much in ascertaining the manner in which evil was introduced, as in explaining the reason why it was permitted. Here we may ob serve, that evil could not base been absolutely present ed, without destroying the character of man, as a moral agent. The few intimations contained in Scripture, :T specting the condition of the Angels, are in conformity with this idea. They also were made capable of sinning,
in consequence of which some of them fell ; whilst the rest, who withstood the trial, completed, in all proba bility, their probation by that resistance, and are now exempted from the possibility of falling ; as the souls of the just shall be, when removed from this state of dis cipline into the blessedness of heaven. So far, then, our reason compels us to vindicate the Almighty for having made man "Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall." Another ground of vindication is presented to us, when we consider that even the evils which are in the world, are productive of good on the whole. NVith regard to temporal or physical evils, this is undoubted. The hu man character is improved by suffering ; and the evils which we most grievously deplore, if borne with forti tude. never fail to improve our natures, to increase our knowledge, and exalt our virtue. The havoc and devas tation of war correct the licentiousness and effeminacy which result from peace; and difficulties and hardships give a vigour to the character, and an enlargement to the understanding, which never could have been acquired in the midst of ease and soft indulgence.
Even -the mutual depredations of the lower animals which prey on each other, though we cannot suppose them productive of any thing like moral improvement, yet display a thousand resources provided by their Cre ator for their security and comfort ; and in this way furnish to rational observers many striking proofs of the goodness and provident care of the Almighty. Besides, the very havoc which is made by mutual slaughter, increases the number of genera and species ; and in con sequence of the different tribes of animals preying on each other, provision is made for an infinitely greater variety and number than could have existed, had they all lived on one kind of food.
In short, the whole system of external nature seems completely adapted to man, as a creature born in igno rance, and continually liable to sin; and we might have inferred, though we had had no information on the sub ject, that the constitution of nature, or the system of the univei se, was changed, when man forfeited his inno cence, and became subject to sin ; for as it exists at pre sent it could have answered no purpose, in the primeval state of purity, but to impair human happiness. The Scriptm c account corresponds with this suggestion, or rather, perhaps, the suggestion itself has arisen out of the Scripture history ; for we do not pretend to belong to that school of philosophy which would keep the mind completely uninfluenced by such considerations ; and we have been taught from our infancy to believe, that the earth was cursed with sterility on account of man's trans g7ession ; and that the elements and system of nature were henceforth charged with hostility against the life and happiness of man.