40G sTENG'ru AND WEAENESS OF HÛMAN REASON. against divine goodness : But his justice surely may be found with ease : It is true, in this world all things come so much alike to all men, that God does not make so sensiblea distinction be= tween the men of virtue, and the mesi of vice, as to give ground to a rude heathen to infer his justice : But then reàson may teacih them, that since God is an all-wise and good Being, he will not let good men always be sufferers, nor appoint evil men to be always happy; for this is contrary to the reason and harmony of things. And therefore they may readily infer, that there must be another world,,or a state after this life, in which God will reward the righteous, and punish the wicked; and this is what I mean by his justice. PITIt. Whatever a deep philosopher might do, or a reasoner in a ehristian country, I am afraid a poor Indian labourer, a dig- ger, a fisher, or a huntsman, would be as ready to infer, that whatsoever mighty being it was that made the world at first, yet he now lets it run at random, and doth not much regard the ac= tions of his creatures, whether good or bad: And perhaps he would be more ready to think, that it was as much or more his own business, and his interest, to make the best that he could of this world, and to free himself from the miseries of it by fraud or force, by right or wrong, rather than to bear the injuries and oppressions, as well as the common calamities of life, with pa- tience, and toexpect that somealmighty and invisible being should reward him in the next world, if he were never so virtuous, since he sees so very few instances of such a righteous reward- ing power, among all the events of this life, or when he rather finds that the wicked oppressors are the most prosperous and happy. But, to pass over this head also, tell me, Sir, how you would prove to a wild American, or rather, how a wild Ameri- can would prove to himself, that there is any such thing as another world, or state of retribution after this life? Yet I think it isgenerally. acknowledged, that true religion, in the practice of it in this world, as things stand,.seemsvery much to depend upon this point, and is greatly promoted by it. LOG. Nay, Philander if you do not allow this argument for a future state drawn from the wisdom and justice of God, and the want of a just retribution of virtue and vice in the pre- sent state, I confess I am at a loss how the poor heathens, can prove it : But I must insist upon it, I thinkthis is a good ar- gument. PITH. And I think it is of weight among persons that are. well civilized, and taught to exercise their reason well : But it would be no easy matter for every single savage, both man and woman, to prove, that God is just : Nor would the doctrine of, retributions be readily found out among the wretched in2 habitants of the Eastern or Western Indies, who are so unprac-
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