صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

Babel. For ought that appears, the family of Eber was the only one which remained upon the divine inftitution. It fhould feem, that he alone was diffentient from the new political order, as afterwards the believing people were of him, named Hebrews.

How much Eber was affected by this event, appears by the name given to his fon, Peleg; which feems not intended fo much to denote the many divifions which these politicians, city builders, fplit into, as the one grand divifion between all thefe, and those who keep the ordinances of faith; which, in their meaning and inftruction, were then, as they now are, the great foundations of the city,

whole builder and maker is God.

Refpecting this policy of Babylon, which has been ever the pattern of the wisdom of this world, and the rule of eftimation of all political excellence, it is of importance to observe, that religion was never excluded from the device; on the contrary, it is acknowledged by all fober judges, to be a conflituent of this theory of government, and is deemed effential to the adminiftration and good order. Atheists, and even deifts, are dunces of politicians; and of all religions, that which approaches the nearest to the divinely inflituted forms, is acknowledged to be the belt: Provided, however, the doctrine or inftruction of thofe forms be always perverted; and that, by their interpreters, they be made to speak fome language other than their own truth; which is, that no city but the city of God, builded upon the ordinances

[ocr errors]

of the everlasting covenant, which faithfully exhibit the will of God in Chrift, hath foundations; and that, befides this, all are raised in oppofition to heaven; and, at an appoint-. ed hour, under the full vials of divine wrath, they fhall fink with their builders.

Attempts to alter the divine inflitutions as to their forms, have been made only when they have been heard to speak a language, which no man hearty in the Babylonian or Chaldean counfel, could ever bear. Indeed they are fo exprefs, fo fignificant, that without fome corruption of the emblem itfelf, it is not eafy to prevent their being, in fome measure, understood,

Section 3. The Overthrow of Sodom. One of the branches of the family of the Hethites, fettled in the plain of Jordan.This country was well watered, and abounded with bread, and greatly indulged its inhabitants in eafe and diffipation. It was, perhaps, the leaft affected by the ravages of the flood, of any spot upon the face of the earth-it feemed, indeed, to retain fome primitive features of the garden of the Lord, and a refemblance of the glory of the firit world. Hence, in a natural view, it was under the leaft check and control from the operation of the archangel government and difcipline; an important a ticle of which, confifts in the - curfe that is laid upon the ground, and the

.

for that in the fweat of our

Tie people who, from the mmal city, were ftyled Sosaft for judgment. The wicke and finners before God had chaflifed men, when they were ar army of Affyrians, and a few years afred a fill more fo...cls and vile ca

[ocr errors]

onaered, captivated,

ted by the confem. for the fake

****, **, Iris family, fo

and was with them were the hand of A and med heroically de

mens nor the good

ET JET 12 pentance

TURBO CAN YOne, trul the fin of and the cry of

TAVERY TOMer ad terier, and the Lord de joga woke with two of his compa

r.

In though in a cone and lee whether the

[ocr errors]

ng to the cry of In his way, a dot bam bis frend, and after conis covenant of alliance and friend, le diclcfi to him the reafon why he ked towards Sodom. And Abraham, ng gone with them fome diftance, to

bring them on the way; and coming to a place in which Sodom was in view, he ftopped, and communed with the Lord upon this interesting fubject, whilft the two accompanying angels went forward towards the city.

And Abraham drew near, and faid, Wilt thou alfo deftroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou alfo deftroy, and not fpare the place for the fifty righteous that are there- . in? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to flay the righteous with the wicked: and. that the righteous fhould be as the wicked, that be far from thee: fhall not the Judge of all the earth do right? And the Lord jad, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their fakes.

Abraham, in making interceffion for Sodom, in the first inftance, put in a plea of righteousness, in the view of the cafe as involving the righteous with the wicked in one common deftruction. That be far from thee to do after this manner, to flay the righteous with the wicked: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? This plea being fully adınitted, but with fuch a diftinction, however, between the cafe of the righteous and the wicked, as led directly to the idea, that the righteous might be removed and faved, and the city be de-. ftroyed; whilft, at the fame time, it was plainly fuggefted that, in fome cafe, the Lord would fpare a wicked city, for the fake of the righteous who are therein; Abraham catched hold upon this ground, and renewed his

interceffion upon a plea of grace, according to the merciful difpenfations of the Lord towards a finful people, on account of the righteous who dwell among them.

And Abrahim anfwered, Behold now, I have, taken ubon me to fpeak unto the Lord, which am but dust and afhes. Peradventure there fhail lack five of the fifty: wilt thou deftroy all the city. for lack of five? And he faid, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. And he Spake unto him yet again, and faid, Peradventure there fhall be forty found there. And he faid, I will not do it for forty's fake. And he faid, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will Speak: Peradventure there fh ill be thirty found there. And he faid, I will not do it, If I find thirty there. And he faid, Behold now, I have taken upon me to fpeak unto the Lord: Peradventure there fhall be twenty found there. And he faid, I will not deftroy it for twenty's fake.. And he faid, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will fpeak yet but this once: Peradventure ten fhall be found there. And he faid. I w ll not dftroy it for ten's fake. And the Lord went his way, as foon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.

It is apparent, that Abraham did not make this intercellion for Sodom upon the idea of the perfonal worth and value of the righte-' ous; for, in the view of their perfonal relalation to God in covenant, the intereft of one righteous man in the divine favor, is above all eftimation; and in this view he might have named before the Lord, one with as much nce as fifty; but, that he contemplated

« السابقةمتابعة »