A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

ivINTRODUCTION.but also because of the difference in the jiractical consequenceswhich attend each of these theories.If the theory stated in the definition be admitted,our \'iews of the moral nature of man will be greatlyelevated. We must thenceforward regard him asshowing from his construction, that he was intendedby his Creator for the highest species of moralagency ; that he was designed to act not merely accordingto the supposed effect of his conduct upon society,but agreeably to the intrinsic and immutablenature of truth. His responsibility would at the sametime seem to be greatly enhanced by the possession ofa susceptibility, which enables him to discern whetheran action be right or wrong with as much precisionas the palate of his mouth enables him to distinguishsweetness from bitterness. It would also follow, thatmoral instruction should be greatly conducted with aview to it ; and that instead of the modern mode ofestimating the qualities of an action by forming anestimate of its expediency, we should with ancientmoralists make our appeal to the preference or dislikeof our inward emotions.They who adopt the opinion that conscience is anacquired capabihty, must admit the conclusion, thatthe moral part of our constitution is comparativelydestitute of guidance.The reception of the third theory, that the susceptibilityis original, but depends for its application onaccidental circumstances, will conduct to consequencesnearly similar, since the difference is but little betweennot possessing an instinct and possessing an instinctnot determined to its object.It may be allowed to examine and reply to the oh-