XV. the history which relates it, full of LET. deep inftruction, as well as abounding in the beautiful and fublime.* A predeceffor of these gentlemen, Mr. Chubb, I remember, called the Supreme Being to a very severe account for his conduct respecting 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 detestable people of the two. The objection will perhaps be obviated, and it's futility evinced, by proposing the few following queries, 1. Has not the Almighty a fove i * Nihil habet Poefis Hebræa in ullo ge"nere limatius aut exquifitios.' LOWTH de Sacra Poefi Heb. Præl. " XX, ad fin. LET. reign right over the lives and fortunes of his creatures? XV. 2. May not the iniquity of nations become fuch, as to justify him in deftroying those nations? 3. Is he not free to chufe the inftruments by which he will effect such deftruction? 4. Is there more injustice or cruelty in his effecting it by the word, 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 thou fands of children every day, and perhaps more than half the fpecies, under ten years of age? 7. Does not the circumftance of a divine commiffion entirely alter the state of of the cafe, and distinguish the Ifraelites from the Spaniards, as much as a warrant from the magistrate 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 inconteftible evidence upon record, that they were fo? 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 << out P 4 Ꮞ LET. XV. LET. "out the inhabitants of the mounXV. "tain: but could not drive out the "inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron." They fubjoin" It is difficult to conceive how "the Lord of heaven and earth, who "had fo often changed the order, and fufpended the established laws of "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 least half a dozen; for never was any thing more truly wonderful! The "diffi-. "culty of conceiving it" is very great indeed! So great, that one should have thought, for very pity's fake, our adverfaries would have looked about XV. about them a little, to fee whether LET. they understood the text, and whether there were no poffible way of bringing us off. As they have not been kind enough to do it for us, we must e'en try what we can do for ourselves. We apprehend, then, in the first place, that when it is faid, " HE drove " out the inhabitants of the moun"tain, but could not drive out the "inhabitants of the valley;" the an-' tecedent is Judah, not Jehovah; becaufe Jehovah had often difplayed much more eminent inftances of his power; and he that effected the greater, could certainly have effected the less. In the second place, though it pleased God to give fuccefs to Judah in one inftance, it does not neceflarily follow, that therefore he should give it in all. So that there is no more |