Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-05-29
FOR THE VIRGINIA ARGUS.
40 TIE PRINTER.


your paper Of the 9Th inst. an apology
as Dr. Watson would call it, for the bibl,
and thought he showed an amiable dispc
sition 10 bis inclination to convey that ape
'ogy, thro' q channel (Talc OF the Times
oy which SO many young people of boil
sexes are fond Of receiving instruction.
Wishing, with your correspondents "a
convince your readers, aud IL could all
mankind, that here is nothing in The sa-
cred history of the destruction OF the no
latrous Canaanites, sc. inconsistent with
probability, and with the justice and good
ncss OF God, / will without referring to any
authors on the subject, offer few argu-
nen,s to pave The way to that conviction.
lst. II is not improbable Cat least il cam
not be So ia the opinion Of any one who
believes that there is God, who not only
crea,ed The heavens and the earth, and all
things that are therein, but who rules over
and directs, ultimately, to great and good
purposes, the affairs of the universe) that
the selection Of Abraham from among the
idolairous people Of his time, on account
of his religious disposition. and trust in
Cod, and the miraculous preservation Of
him and his children, and exaltation of his
family into nation, established in that
land in which he had first displayed his
faith in, and reliance on his Creator, and
the destruction of the idolatrous inhabi-
isnts OF that country did happen as related
in the bible. 2dly. The extirpalion of
those idolatrous nations cannot appear in-
compatible with the justice and goodness
OF God, 10 any one who considers that in
E,,t 4.
ly displayed than in Furnishing in an ex-
emplary manner, cruel and wicked nations,
whose monstrous crimes were torment
10 themselves, curse 10 the nations "a
round them, and without the chastisement
they mel with, would have furnished re-
proaches against their Creator; or even
doubt OF his existence; or proof at least,
that he did not interfere in the affairs of
mankind. And, Infinite goodness must
certainly be seen in removing such wretch
es from Inisery 10 this world into another,
in which that mercy, no doubt, will afford
them, in due time, all the happiness that
beGeyolchce itself can wish them TO enjoy
and, ia substituting in their places, not
only a better nation, wofehiping God, and
handing down to mankind divine precepts,
but nation, exhibiting in themselves, to
this day, divine and es.onishing proofs Of
Gods superintendance over the afisirs uf
men, ard his severe Judgment long previ-
ous.y denounced against sinful nations, and
The certain and perfc0 comple,ion Of them
IN ,nany instances. For if the happines.
OF mankind depends upon morality
which contributes TO the support of society
the preservation OF order, and domest:i
peace aad harmony which DesIs, and eve'
Atheists confess it does; and such moTalit,
can be best supported, and indeed alon
enforced by religion, or belief in the be
ing, providence, and all.seeing eye of God
and IN his infinite justice and goodness
which win be fully displayed in futur
state, then must such destruction OF tn
ido.atrous nations by the Jews, and tn
chastisemenls which the latter experienc
tai proofs 10 the whole world, be receives
:: by all rational men as perfs ely oonsisten
with The justice and goodness, Of God, a
Being highly conducive to the real hap
pi1ess OF mankind. But many who hav,
pissed for philosophers. have expresses
their disbelief 10 Gods agency in sucl
cruel affairs, as they call il. Will these
humane philosophers say what difference
there is between permitting such crueI,ies
and directing the infli Sion of them And
IL there be none, whether, II other nations
as we'll as Amalek, have been cut of, anc
destruction by wars, peslilencc, famine
and earthquakes, hes beenrepeatedly dis
played before our eyes, they must not &C
knowledge that there was not more cru
city in ordering that exiigpalion Of ANA
lex. sc. than in permitting the destructi
on of other nations. And, can they, o,
philosophers, say that it made any real diff
ference TO the CanaaDites, whether they
died by the sword Of Israel, or by pesli
lencc, famine OF earthquakes, al once, il
one day; or by natural death, singly, II
old age And with respect TO the Almigh
~, 10 whom thousand years are bur as
one day aud who at one glance, sees the
past, present and future ages, in whose
hands are the issues Of life, death, and who
il may well be Supposed (as we are assnr-
cd nc has) has appointed the time in which
he viii be justified in all his ways, and
every nlou;h shall be stopped" ] cay, can