opposite things existing together in the same being, which is impossible, because opposites tend either to neutralize or destroy each other. Such a being would be in a state of essential distraction: indeed, he would not be a being, he would not be a unit, a whole,—for a whole is composed of many harmonious parts; but such a supposed compound, being composed of opposites, could certainly have no peace nor happiness, nor could he perform any use, nor create or accomplish anything; for he would destroy with the one hand, what he made with the other. Who will say that God, the Creator of this beautiful universe, is such a Being? No! in God good and evil cannot both exist; and if both do not exist in Him, then both cannot proceed from Him, for that only can proceed from a being, which has a source in the being. Then it follows, that goodness alone exists in God, and consequently goodness alone can proceed from God; and therefore everything evil and hurtful, vile and abominable, all that is contrary to man's happiness (which is the great object of the Divine goodness), must be from some other source than God.
But it may perhaps be said, that the things in nature, which are commonly called noxious, are still not altogether useless,―that they effect some uses in the Divine economy. Filthy insects, for instance, it is argued, are useful in consuming carcases and other corrupt things, which otherwise would vitiate the air. So, many minerals, which to man in a healthy state are poisonous, are yet useful as medicines in time of disease. But, in answer to these suggestions, it is to be observed, first, that, as shown in the previous Section, had man not sinned, there would have been no disease, and thus no
