41S RUIN AND RBCOVLRY, &C.' the transactions of God with men, and set them inA glorious light, to thejust vindication of all his own perfections, and the silenceof all our cavils. But observe, there are these three con- siderations which may serve toalleviate and moderate this dismal aspect and situation of things at present. 1. All mankind are justly required to adore and worship the great and glorious Being, wwtose wisdom and goodness, as well as his power, shine bright in the creation of this world, and in the formationof mankind, as well as all other animals who dwell upon the earth ; they ought to admire and praise him on this account, though no reasonablecreaturecan properly give thanks but for some real benefit. H. Every man who comes into this world, as considered in our common head and representative Adam, in his state of inno- cence and trial, with full power to obey his Maker's law, and with far superior motives to obedience, bath good reason, even as Adam our father had, to thank God for his existence ; for hewas made in such circumstances, under Adam his head, which car- ried in them a muchgreater probability of standing and being happy, than of falling and being miserable, III. Though the greatest part of mankind may not have sufficient reason to give thanks to God for their mere existence in this fallen state, yet all the sons and daughters of Adam have reason to praise the divine goodness for many favours they receive, viz, that they are not so miserable as they might have been by reason of their sins and follies, that they have any satis- factions or comforts in life, and any lesser degrees of pain or sorrow than others sustain, or any relief for their own maladies and troubles : And especially if they are born and educated in a nation where the light of the gospel shines, they have further reason to acknowledge and bless the distinguishing goodness of their Creator, who has placed them within the nearer and easier reach of happiness, if their own evil inclinations and obstinacy do not withhold them from seeking after it. And, Creator lie under an imputation of injustice for continuing their existence under these disadvantages, and thus punishing their original rebellionand their daily negligence ? And suppose further, that this- solitary and inaccessible island lay in the midst of many other islands in the sea, whose inhabitants are continually inform- ed by some revelation or divine messenger of the original state and the present circumstances of this unhappy couary, inorder to restrain the rest from disobe- dience to their Maker and Lord in similar instances of any kind , might we not say, here is ajust and valuable reason for which God should continue this island of rebels under their punishment? This maybe applied in some measure to the forlorn case of mankind on this globe of earth, when compared with the many other planetary worlds, who may be preserved in their duty by being informed, pf our sad circumstances, though we know little of theirs. But as I hinted before, these are but mere conjectural thoughts : It is only God himself in the great day of judgment can answer weary difficulty, stud scatter every darkness ,from all his works of provideace.
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