C. I have not many fears, but I have some further inquiries, which my mind is not fully settled upon.
E. Proceed.
C. Thou hast taught us, that imputed righteousness was unjust. How can that be unjust, which is freely offered on condition of our acceptance, or bestowed without our wish?
E. The injustice consists in the wrong. All is wrong which is not good. It is not good to deceive thee with wrong. The wrong is not right, and what is not right is unjust. The wrong of deceiving thee, leads thee wrong, and encourages thee to hope for another’s wisdom without having the principles and works, which will be found important to thy progress. The imputed righteousness of Jesus will never benefit thee, until that righteousness becomes thy own by practice. No good can come to thee, unless the good be received and adopted. When it is adopted, it is thine, and not before.
C. Thou wouldst not teach, that all evils are unjust.
E. Thou wouldst not reject what is well, when thou understandest it. The well is not evil. The good is not evil. The just is not evil. Evils are not evils absolutely. The worst evil is ignorance. Ignorance will not live forever in any mind—I would say, the ignorance of right and wrong as I understand right and wrong. Therefore, it is not an absolute evil. It is even so with all other evils; they are temporary, not eternal.
C. The evil of wretchedness is worse than ignorance.
E. Wretchedness is the effect of ignorance. The effect can not exceed the cause.
C. Yea; but it may be more lasting.
E. How can the effect of ignorance be more lasting than the cause?