Page images
PDF
EPUB

Characters of the Princes at the Time these Epiftles were written; for the Dispute was with those who rejected all Sorts of Government, whether they were under good or bad Princes: With the temporal Rights of Princes they meddled not. St. Peter, who wrote to the Difperfed in Afia, where the Governments had always been defpotic, exhorted them, in the first Place, to due Obedience to the King, and then to those who were put in Authority under him: Whereas St. Paul, in writing to the Romans, where the Form of Government was not fully established, being in the Hands of the Emperor, fometimes with and fometimes without the Concurrence of the Senate, made choice of an Expreffion that has avoided. that Difficulty, and directs Obedience to be paid to the higher Powers, without determining who they were; which was a Point in which he had no Right to interpose his Authority.

I fhall leave this Subject without drawing any Confequences, excepting one only, for the Sake of which I entered into this Inquiry; namely, That the Scriptures are not to be tortured to fpeak in favour of one B b 2

Side

Side or another; for they stand clear of al Difputes about the Rights of Princes and Subjects: So that fuch Disputes must be left to be decided by Principles of natural Equity and the Conftitutions of the Country.

DISCOURSE

000

DISCOURSE XIV.

**

GENESIS xviii. 19.

For I know him, that he will command his Children, and his Houfhold after him; and they fhall keep the Way of the Lord, to do Justice and Judgment; that the Lord bring upon Abraham that which he hath Spoken of him.

T

may

HE Words of the Text are the Words of the Lord concerning Abraham, the Father of the Faithful; and they contain the Reafon why the Lord made Choice of Abraham, to diftinguish him from the reft of the World, to make of him a great and mighty Nation, a Nation to whom should be commited the Oracles of God. Abraham, fays the Lord in the Verfe before

Bb3

before the Text, fhall furely become a great and mighty Nation; and all the Nations of the Earth fhall be blessed in him,

It has been Matter of great Difficulty with curious Inquirers to affign the Reasons of God's particular Regard to Abraham and his Pofterity, to whom he made himself known in a very particular Manner; whilst the rest of the Nations of the Earth were permitted to continue in Ignorance and Superftition. I intend not to examine all the Reasons that have, or may be affigned for this Dispensation of Providence; but, fince God himself has been pleased to give one Reason for his particular Regard to Abraham, it highly concerns us to confider it, as holding forth to us the very ben Inftruction by what Means we may render ourselves acceptable to God, and draw down a Bleffing upon ourselves and our Pofterity: Abraham shall furely become a great and mighty Nation; and all the Nations of the Earth fhall be blessed in bim: For I know him, that he will command bis Children, and his Houshold after him; and they shall keep the Way of the Lord, to do Justice and Judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of bim.

You

You fee now the Connection of the Text with the Verse that goes before it, and the Reason given for the diftinguishing Mercy beftowed on Abraham: God faw that Abraham would fo rule and govern his Children and his Houfhold, as to make them keep the Way of the Lord, and do Justice and Judgment; and therefore he determined to raife him into a great and mighty Nation. This Reason is plainly founded on these two Propofitions, and fuppofes the Truth of them, viz. First, That it is the Duty of every Father and Master of a Family fo to command his Children and Houfhold that they fhall keep the Way of the Lord: And, Secondly, That the fame Duty is incumbent on the Governors and Magiftrates of all Nations. If you fuppofe that the Virtue commended in Abraham is proper only to Fathers and Mafters of Families, and has no Relation to the Duty of a public Magiftrate, the Reason given in the Text for making Abraham a great and mighty Nation is a very abfurd one: For, if the Magistrate has nothing to do to command the Observance of the Ways of the Lord, Abrabam's Difpofition fo to govern and command could be no Reason for making him the B b 4 Head

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »