upon Earth, save only they are freed from
the Body and the Sins and Sorrows that attend it. And, on the other Hand,
there are some, who may be said rather not to have been _good_ than that
they have been _wicked_ while living: their Condition is not easily
distinguished from that of the _former_, and under that Class comes a
great Herd of Souls, a vast Number of your ignorant People, who have not
much minded the Concerns of Eternity, but, at the same Time, have lived in
much Indolence, Ignorance, and Innocence.

O. I always thought that their rejecting the Terms of Salvation offered,
was sufficient Ground for God to punish them with his eternal Displeasure.
And as to their Ignorance, that could never excuse them, since they lived
in a Place of the World, where the Knowledge of these Things might easily
have been attained.

C. They never properly rejected the Terms of Salvation, they never,
strictly speaking, rejected Christ, poor Souls! they had as great Liking
both to Him, and to Heaven, as their gross understandings were capable of;
and as to their Ignorance, impartial Reason must make many allowances,
such as, the Stupidity of their Parents, their want of Education, their
Distance from People of good Sense and Knowledge, the uninterrupted
Application they were obliged to give to their secular affairs, for their
daily Bread, the impious Treachery of their Pastor, whom they heard
perhaps but once a month, or so, and thro' his unfaithfulness are
perswaded, that if they be of such or such a Party all is well; and many
other Considerations of the like Nature, which God who is pure and perfect
Reason itself will not overlook. These are not so much under the Load of
the Divine Displeasure, as they are _out of His Graces and Favours_, for
you know it is one Thing to be discourted, and quite anoyr Thing to be
persecuted with all the Power and Rage of an incensed earthly King. So I
assure you, men's Faces in this World are not more various and different,
than their Conditions are after Death.

O. I am loath to believe all that you have said at this Time, Coul; but I
will not dispute these matters with you, besides, some Things you have
advanced, seem to contradict the Scriptures, which I shall ever look upon
as the infallible Truths of God; for I find by the Parable of Dives and
Lazarus, that one was immediately carried up by the Angels to Abraham's
Bosom, and the other thrust down to a Place of Torment.

C. Excuse me, Sir,