obligation, it is not the source of obligation merely because it is the
will of God, but because it is benevolent, and is of a tendency to
promote happiness; and this places the foundation of obligation in a
tendency to happiness, and not primarily in the will of God. But if the
will of God, and that which is the expression of it, the divine law, be
allowed to be not benevolent, and are foundation of obligation, we are
obliged to conform to them, whatever they be, however malevolent and
opposite to holiness and goodness the requirements be. But this, I
presume, none will pretend." Very fairly and strongly put; that's to say,
if I understand Edwards, he supposes, if God was the devil and man what
he is, then man would not be under obligation to obey the devil's will!
That's it! Well, I suppose so too; and I reckon most _Christians_ would
agree to that statement, Nay, more: I presume nobody ever taught that the
mere naked _will_, abstractly considered, if it could be, from the
_character_ of God, was the ground of moral obligation? Nay, I think
nobody ever imagined that the notion of an infinite Creator presupposes
or includes the idea that he is a malevolent Being! I agree, then, with
Edwards, that the ultimate ground of obligation _is_ in the _fact_ that
God is benevolent, or is a good God. I said _that_ in my speech quoted
above. I formally stated that "_God, in his benevolent wisdom, willed law
to control the natural good and evil_," &c. What, then, is the point of
disagreement between my view and Edwards's? It is in _the different ways
by which we_ GET AT _the_ FACT _of divine benevolence_. I hold that the
REVEALED WORD _tells us who God is and what he does_, and is, therefore,
the ULTIMATE GROUND OF OBLIGATION. But Edwards holds that HUMAN REASON
_must tell us who God is and what he does_, and IS, therefore, the
PRIMARY GROUND OF OBEDIENCE. _That_ is my issue with Edwards and others;
and it is as broad an issue as _faith in revelation_, or the REJECTION OF
IT. I do not charge that Edwards did, or that all who hold with him do,
deny the word of God; but I do affirm that their argument does. The