in one way, to doing
it perfectly in another way.

17. A consequence of this theory has been incidentally brought to
view in illustrating a preceding argument, which deserves a
distinct statement. It is that God has two hostile wills, in
relation to the same thing--his decrees, and his published
commands and prohibitions. He has enjoined certain modes of
action, by the most solemn legislation, and yet decreed, from all
eternity, that multitudes of those whom he has subjected to those
obligations, shall constantly act at variance therewith; so that
multitudes of human beings are doing his will perfectly, and yet
violating his will at the same time.

18. This theory makes all civil government manifestly unreasonable.
Civil government proceeds upon the supposition that man is a free
agent, capable of choosing and acting otherwise than as he does;
but this theory, as we have seen, is incompatible with free agency.

And should we admit, for the sake of the argument, that it is not
incompatible with free agency, it is still irreconcilable with
civil government. Civil legislation prohibits various modes of
acting. It assumes that the forbidden actions are wrong--
injurious to society--whereas, this theory represents that all
the actions that have been performed, or will be performed, were
freely willed, purposed, decreed, foreordained, and brought to
pass by God himself--that there are no events, and can be none,
but what are in precise harmony with his eternal purposes--so
that, unless we suppose that God has from all eternity freely
decreed what is wrong and injurious, thereby subjecting human
legislators to the necessity of opposing his will in order to
prevent outrage and injury, civil legislation admits of no
justification or apology.

And if this theory is incompatible with civil legislation, it is
not less so with civil jurisprudence. Men assume the right to
inflict severe punishment upon their fellow-men for doing what
cannot be avoided, or for not doing what they cannot possibly do.
Or, if it be admitted, for the sake of the argument, that they
could act otherwise, still they are punished for doing and
suffering, in all respects, the will of God, for merely
exemplifying his eternal unchangeable decrees. Take either
alternative, and human jurisprudence is palpably iniquitous.

The only plausible apology that can be offered in behalf of civil
government is, either that human legislators and judges, and
jurors,