find much that is." profitable for doctrine, for re 66 proof, for correction, for inftruction in righ"teoufnefs "." We may also learn, from what has been already obferved, that infinite love to the church characterizes all the divine operations. In the whole of God's management of the kingdoms of this world, nay, in the whole of his conduct towards mankind in general, he difplays his tender care of that kingdom that fhall never have an end. Such is his love to the fubjects of it, that he "fuffers no man to do them wrong; yea, he reproves kings for their fakes; saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no "harms." He avows his preference of the church to every other fociety. He counts other kingdoms but a small price for her liberation: "I 66 66 66 gave Egypt for thy ranfom, Ethiopia and Seba "for thee. Since thou waft precious in my fight, "thou haft been honourable, and I have loved "thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life t." 66 SEC r 2 Tim. iii. 16. s Ifa. cv. 14, 15. t Ifa. xliii. 3. 4. SECTION II. On the Beauties of Sacred Hiftory. LET us now attend to fome of the peculiar beauties of Sacred History. 1. The firft I fhall take notice of is its uncommon fimplicity. No art appears in the framing of the narrative. Every thing is related in the plaineft manner. No attempt is made to engage the reader by ornate diction, or to intereft his paffions by what has been called hiftorical painting. Facts are left to speak for themselves. Even this fimplicity has an effect that has never been produced by the moft polifhed compofition. The ftyle of Sacred Hiftory evidently bears a character that is altogether inimitable, and that plainly declares its divine origin. 11. Its concifenefs conftitutes a further recommendation. No human history, of the fame compass, contains fuch a vaft variety of information. No tedious narration fatigues or disgusts the reader. The fulness of Scripture extends even to its historical style. A few words often contain more than is found in whole pages of human writings. The more it is examined, the more it is admired. While it poffeffes all the advantages of an abridgment, it wants its drynefs. Nothing of real importance is omitted. III. III. The Sacred Hiftory is eminently diftinguished for its fidelity and impartiality. Truth is the great recommendation of history. Nothing deferves the name that wants this character; nor can any thing elfe fupply its place. But the hiftory of the Bible poffeffes it in a degree unknown to any other writing. The adverfaries of our holy religion, notwithstanding the great variety of their attempts, have never been able to prove the charge of falfity. In many of thofe human hiftories, which are most read, and most valued, vice is veiled or extenuated, fo that it lofes much of its native deformity; and actions truly virtuous, are exhibited in fuch a light as to excite the ridicule, or the difguft of the reader. Evil actions are afcribed to the beft of principles, and good actions to the worft. A good character is` often exhibited as if it had no alloy of imperfection; and a bad one, as if it abfolutely excluded any degree of praife. But the language of infpiration always paints wickednefs in its own colours, and exhibits righteousness in a moft attractive light. If, in particular inftances, there be no exprefs condemnation of what is finful, it is never vindicated or palliated. If an immoral action is related, without any particular intimation of its turpitude; either the reader is left to learn this from the immutable ftandard of the divine law, or fome circumstances in the narrative itself, or in the following hiftory of the perfon, afford the most fatisfying evidence of the divine difapprobation. In the account given of the difgrace ful ful confequences of Noah's drunkenness, the evil of his conduct is plainly reproved". Abraham is not exprefsly condemned for taking Hagar to his bed. We are left to learn the finfulness of the action, not only from its contrariety to the original law, but from its punishment, in the courfe of Providence, in the quarrels introdu→ ced into his family in confequence of it. The account of the fin, and that of the punishment, are in the clofeft connexion. Abraham" went "in unto Hagar, and fhe conceived: and when "fhe faw that she had conceived, her mistress "was despised in her eyes. And Sarai faid un 66 to Abram, My wrong be upon thee," &c. Many years after, was Abraham's tranfgreffion reproved by the conduct of Ishmael. The worthy patriarch, by this fin, proceeding from the impatience of unbelief, raised up in his own family a perfecutor of the promised feed. Ifhmael's mockery of Ifaac must have proceeded from a very bad principle w. For an infpired apoftle makes this reflection on it: "He that was born "after the flesh, perfecuted him that was born "after the Spirit ." X W There is no exprefs condemnation of the guilt of Jacob in telling a lie to his father, in order to procure the bleffing. But how remarkable is the retribution of Providence, as related in the fcripture-history! He deceived his father, when his eyes were covered by the darkness of age v. LaVOL. I. u Gen. ix. 21.-23. x Gal. iv. 29. ban ban deceived him, by means of the darkness of night". Jacob put on the raiment of Efau, in order to favour the deception. In like manner did his fons deceive him by means of Jofeph's coat b. When the good kings of Judah are commended, it is ftill with a referve as to what was reprehenfible in their conduct; and even the partial repentance of the wicked Ahab is recorded, as having occafioned a delay of the vengeance denounced. Mofes wrote the hiftory of Ifrael primarily for the use of that nation. But he does pot flatter their pride. He does not, like many other ancient writers, afcribe to them a very honourable, nay, a divine origin. He fhews, that they were the immediate pofterity of flaves, and that their most honourable progenitors had been merely pilgrims in a land that was not their own. He reminds them, that, at their folemn feafts, they were ftill to recollect, and humbly to acknowledge, the meannefs of their national origin; that they were to use this mortifying language, “" A Syrian ready to perish was my father" 66 No human history can be compared with that of infpiration, in respect of impartiality. The bafe treachery and barbarous cruelty of the fons of Jacob to the Shechemites, was difgraceful to the name of Ifrael. Yet it is particularly recorded. What could give a more striking reprefentation z Gen. xxix. 23. 25. b Gen. xxxvii. 23, 31 a Gen. xxvii. 15. d Deut. xxvi. 5. |