XII.

tion, is that they were Gentiles, aliens, by DISC. nature, like ourselves, from the commonwealth of Ifrael, and ftrangers to the covenant of promise.

In the family of Noah, the true religion was univerfal or catholic. It continued to be fo, till the days of Abraham, when the general apoftacy of the nations to idolatry made it neceffary that a family should be called forth, and feparated from the pollution that was in the world, to be the happy instrument of preserving faith upon earth, "till the feed fhould come, to "whom the promife was made." By this step in the divine difpenfations, it was never intended to "put the candle under a

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bushel, but to place it on a candlestick,” and there to keep it burning, that it might give light to thofe that were in the house, and to those who fhould enter into it. Many, from time to time, did enter into it; and therefore many more might have entered in, had it so pleased them. The tranfactions of God with his chofen people

were

DISC. were not carried on in a corner; and there

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was no period, in which he left himself without witness among the nations round about them. Let us take a curfory view of the divine proceedings, in this light only.

Of Abraham's call the inhabitants of the country from which he was called, and, in confequence of that call, departed for ever, could not have been ignorant; and as many as were disposed to obey the admonition of heaven, might, doubtless, have had permiffion to attend him.

The patriarchal families, in their fojournings, travelled through many of the countries inhabited in those early ages. By the governors of thofe countries we find them treated with reverence, and acknowleged to be prophets, nay, "mighty princes "of God." The ftory of their divine call and destination must have been the fubject of converfation wherever they came, nor would they be backward to make it fo. They would, of courfe, communicate to others

XII.

others what heaven had communicated to DISC. them. They would exhort men, as they went, to fave themfelves from that untoward generation. That fuch converfations and fuch exhortations were not without fruit, we may conclude from the mention that is made of "the fouls which they "had gotten in Haran," or the perfons they had converted, and adopted into the holy family. The behaviour of Abimelech and his fubjects is very obfervable, and fhews there was, even among them, a fenfe and fear of God, which, it is to be apprehended, we might now look for in vain in countries calling themselves Chriftian.

The deliverance of Abraham's brother Lot, and the unparalleled overthrow of the cities of the plain by fire from heaven, must have been a very awakening and affecting call to all within hearing.

In process of time, we find Egypt, then the most powerful and learned of nations, opening it's hofpitable arms to receive the

DISC. family of Jacob, having owed it's prefer-
XII. vation, in the days of dearth, to one of

that family, ordained, in a wonderful man-
ner, to fave much people alive. Here the
church was fettled, increased and flou-
rifhed for more than three hundred years,
bearing teftimony to the true religion, in
the eye
of the world.

Let any one confider with himself the aftonishing series of miracles wrought by Mofes on a stage fo public as this; the paffage through the Red Sea; the destruction of Pharaoh and his hoft; the march of the Ifraelitish army, with the divine Shechinah, or Glory, in the midst of it; the awful and tremendous appearance on mount Sinai, at the promulgation of the law; their entrance into Canaan; the paffage of Jordan; the fall of Jericho; the excifion of the devoted nations-could all these things be done, and the rumour of them not be spread, in those days, among the nations, both those that were near, and those that were afar off?

The

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The fame of this distinguished and ex- DISC. traordinary people must have increased with their conquests, till univerfal peace was established in the days of Solomon. To his court the princes of the earth resorted; ftruck with his glory, charmed with his wisdom, and defirous of being instructed by him. Would you know the exalted fentiments entertained by them of him, and of the people over whom he prefided? Liften to the queen of Sheba fpeaking for them all. “It was a true report that I heard, "in mine own land, of thine acts, and of

thy wisdom. Howbeit, I believed not "the words until I came, and mine eyes "had feen it: and behold, the half was "not told me; thy wisdom and profperity "exceedeth the fame which I heard. Hap

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py are thy men, happy are these thy "fervants, which stand continually before "thee, and that hear thy wisdom. Bleffed "be the Lord thy God, which delighted "in thee, to fet thee on the throne of