XV. A LET. and fignificant, either with the organs of any animal, or without them. voice proceeding from a dumb creature was made, upon this occafion, to teach a leffon fimilar to that deduced, upon another, from the example of the fame creature-" The ox knoweth his "owner, and the afs his master's "crib; but man doth not know-a "prophet doth not confider.*"-If it be objected, that the occafion was not worthy; that it was not dignus vindice nodus; we shall certainly take the liberty to think that God Almighty was a much better judge of that matter than the infidels can poffibly be, even were they ten times wiser than they are. The whole transaction, in which Balaam bore fo confpicuous a part, is of very great moment, and * See Isaiah, I. 3. the the history which relates it, full of LET. deep inftruction, as well as abounding in the beautiful and fublime.* A predeceffor of thefe gentlemen, Mr. Chubb, I remember, called the Supreme Being to a very fevere account for his conduct refpecting the Canaanites; and they feem difpofed to do the fame, in a bitter, sarcastical, canting fection, P. 19, &c. the drift of which is to compare the Ifraelites in Canaan to the Spaniards in Mexico, and represent the former as the more deteftable people of the two. The objection will perhaps be obviated, and it's futility evinced, by propofing the few following queries. 1. Has not the Almighty a fove "Nihil habet Poefis Hebræa in ullo genere limatius aut exquifitius." LOWTH de Sacra Poefi Heb. Præl. xx, ad fin, P3 reign XV. LET. reign right over the lives and fortune's XV. of his creatures? 2. May not the iniquity of nations become fuch, as to juftify him in deftroying thofe nations? 3. Is he not free to chufe the inftruments by which he will effect fuch deftruction? 4. Is there more injuftice or cruelty in his effecting it by the fword, than by famine, peftilence, whirlwind, deluge, or earthquake? 5. When these latter means are employed, do not women, children, and cattle, perish with the men? 6. Does not God take away thoufands of children every day, and perhaps more than half the fpecies, under ten years of age? 7. Does not the circumstance of a divine commission entirely alter the state of XV. of the cafe, and diftinguish the Ifrael- LET. ites from the Spaniards, as much as a warrant from the magiftrate diftinguishes the executioner from the murderer ? 8. May not men be affured of God's having given them fuch a commiffion? 9. Were not the Ifraelites thus affured; and is there not at this day incontestable evidence upon record, that they were so? This is a fair and regular diftribution of the subject into it's several parts. Whenever the infidels fhall find themselves in a humour to difcufs all or any of them, we must confider what they may offer farther upon this topic. P. 18. They cite the following paffage from Judges, 1. 19. " The Lord was with Judah, and he drove P 4 66 out LET: XV. 66 out the inhabitants of the moun"tain: but could not drive out the "inhabitants of the valley, because 66 66 they had chariots of iron." They subjoin-" It is difficult to conceive how "the Lord of heaven and earth, who "had fo often changed the order, and fufpended the eftablifhed laws of 66 nature, in favour of his people, "could not fucceed against the in"habitants of a valley, because they "had chariots of iron!" At the end of this fentence is placed only a fingle note of admiration. There ought to have been at leaft half a dozen; for never was any thing more truly wonderful! The "diffi 66 culty of conceiving it" is very great indeed! So great, that one fhould have thought, for very pity's fake, our adverfaries would have looked about |