LAXCASTER COUNTT. 63 



aiid be utterly regardless of their welfare. Then to say 

 tiiat the Almighty has permitted us to remain in a 

 fatal error through so many ages, is to represent him as a 

 tyrant 



How is it consistent with his justice to force life upon 

 a race of mortals without their consent, and then to 

 damn them eternally without ever opening to them a 

 door to salvation? Our conceptions of the gracious God 

 are much more noble, and we think that those who 

 teach otherwise, do httle less than blaspheme. Aeain it 

 is tlirough the care and goodness of the AlmighU', that 

 from the beginning of time through so many generations 

 to this day. our name has been preserved unblotted out 

 by our enemies, and unreduced to nothing. Bv the same 

 care we now enjoy our lives, and are furnished with the 

 necessary means of preserving these hves. But all 

 these tilings, compared with our salvation, are trifling.— 

 Tlierefore, since God has been so careful of us in matters 

 of Uttle consequence, it would be absurd to affirm that 

 he has neglected us in cases of the greatest importance ; 

 admit he has forsaken us, yet it could not be without a 

 just cause. 



Let us suppose that some heinous crimes were com- 

 mitted by some of our ancestors, like to that we are told 

 of another race of people, in such a case, God would 

 certainly punish the criminal^ but would never involve 

 us tliat are iimocent in the guilt ; those who think other- 

 wise must make the Ahnighty a very whimsical evil-na- 

 ture d bems-. 



Once more: are the christians more virtuous? or 



rather, are they not more vicious than we are? if so, 



how came it to pass that they are the objects of God's 



beneficence, while we are neglected ? does he daily confer 



Lis favors without reason, and witli so much panialit)'? 



