CQNFEItENCI:IV. 507 kingdom were so far agreeable to the laws öf reason and nature, that if they would but seriously consider with themselves, and set their reason at work in good earnest, they might find out not only these general laws, but so much also of the particular me- thods of grace, as to get some hope of pardon and acceptance, if they sincerely practised them'; then, I say, these children are highly criminal for not applying their rational powersto the work, and for not seeking out and practising all that was within the verge and compass of their natural powers, in order to berestor- ed to the favour of the king. And such criminal creaturesjustly continue under the displeasureof their sovereign. It is granted indeed, that the parents who rebelled against the king, and brought up their offspring to rebellion andmisery, who run coun- ter to that compassion which nature gave them for their Offspring, and by continuing in their rebellion lest the knowledge of the laws, and the grace of their king themselves, and never taught them to their children, aremuch more culpable than the children, who never actually knew them: Yet thechildren are far from being innocent, since their natural powers, if they awakened them to a right and careful exercise, might lead them to so much knowledge of the laws, and methods of grace of their sovereign, As, ifsincerely practised, they might hope to find mercy with him. The king may be wise, and just, and gracious still, and yet the race of rebels may be in such circumstances, that not one in a thousand are ever likely to be restored to his favour. Take the thing in a little different view, under another similitude: Suppose any particular family` upon earth hadsotne painful and mortal disease hereditary to the house, derived from the vices of their parents, and more rooted in their constitution by their own personal vices ; and suppose the blessedGod had communicated a divine receipt or medicine to their whole family, which would relieve and heal every one that made useOfit ; is Godobliged, by a miracle, or by inspiration, to restore the pre. cious secret to this family, when they have lostit by their own guilty negligence ? When the parents took no cart to preserve the remedy, nor the children ever enquired for a cure? Or when they wandered after the most vain and Most irrational pretences, and the most ridiculous experinìents to heal them- selves ? Is it unjust for God to let them die under their dis- ease ? Do they not deserve to perish under their Own distemper and folly? Suppose yet further, that the wiseand righteous God should, in the course of his providence, suffer this disease to spread itself, and rage with mortal fury in some single generation, se as to de- stroy the whole race, except seven or eight persons. Now by such a dreadful spectacle of death anddesolation, these persons must have avery terrible sense of this mortal distemper impressed
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