moment from the hand of death;-then appeared the inestimable privileges of the faithful, the incomparable pre-eminence of the church. Small and contemptible as she then seemed, being reduced to the holy family in the ark, yet, safe in the protection of her God, she weathered the storm which laid the world in ruins, and rode in triumph over the wreck of universal nature. New heavens, as it were, and a new earth arose, for her sake, out of the confusion of the old; the covenant was renewed; she was bid to look upon the rainbow, and remember the promise; the morning stars once more sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.

In the dispersion of the nations from Babel, regard was had to the after disposition of things in the Israelitish church; for which reason Moses begins his song with it: "When the Most High divided to "the nations their inheritance, when he separated "the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of "Israel."

Who can read the lives of those fathers of our faith, the ancient patriarchs, "when they were but "few men in number, yea, very few, and strangers "in the land," without perceiving how highly they were accounted of in the sight of God?" He suffer"ed no man to do them wrong, yea, he reproved

kings for their sakes; saying, Touch not mine "anointed, and do my prophets no harm." They were honoured in the kingdoms through which they passed as mighty princes of God: when injured, they put to flight through faith the armies of

aliens; they were suffered to intercede for sinful cities, and such as belonged to the holy family were sent out of the overthrow, when the destruction of those cities, by the enormity of the crimes of the inhabitants, was rendered inevitable: they were made instruments of preserving whole nations alive in the time of dearth, of informing princes concerning the will of Heaven, and teaching senators true wisdom; they were revered by crowned heads, and Pharaoh disdained not to receive a blessing from Jacob.

Egypt, at that time one of the most renowned and mighty kingdoms of the earth, was appointed to be the scene, first of the chastisement, and then of the deliverance of the people of God, by a series of the most astonishing miracles that ever were wrought in favour of Israel. A new king arose, who knew not Joseph, but looked with an evil eye on the prosperity of the church, as likely in time to prove detrimental to the state, forgetting that God protects those who protect her. Worldly wisdom chose rather to risk his displeasure by oppressing her, by setting over her task-masters to afflict her with burthens, and by making the lives of her children bitter with hard bondage. But the sighs and cries of the afflicted church came up before God, and the vengeance of heaven. soon demonstrated the folly of the Egyptian politics. The Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and made bare his arm in the defence of his people. The wretched monarch still withstood the power which controlled all the operations of nature, and hardened his heart against the goodness which by so doing called him to repentance. The event was, as it ever will be in the

end, that the church was delivered, and her oppressors destroyed. The Egyptians sank like lead in the mighty waters, while Israel, standing triumphant on the opposite shore, sang hallelujahs to the Lord God omnipotent.

Israel thus brought out of Egypt was conducted through the wilderness, the same Lord being her light and her salvation, her support and refreshment, and came to the borders of Canaan, at the precise time when the iniquity of the Amorites was full, and the harvest ready for the sickle. The judgement, therefore, determined was executed upon them by the sword of Joshua, or rather the sword of God in his hand. For as it was Jehovah who "over"threw Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,” and "led his people through the wilderness," so was it he who "smote great nations, and slew mighty "kings, Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og the king “of Basan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan." The promise, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee," was made good. The power of faith prevailed to the casting down of strong holds, and the blast of the trumpets from the mouths of the priests, sounded by divine command, was sufficient to level the walls of Jericho.

After the settlement of the people in the promised inheritance, the nations around them were from time to time made the instruments of punishing them when they rebelled against the Lord their God. When they returned to him, his favour returned to them, the light of his countenance quickly dispelled the darkest clouds of public calamity, and brake

forth upon them by the means of deliverers raised up to chastise the insolence of their enemies, and restore peace and prosperity to Israel. But the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, of Jepthah, and of David, who having subdued all his enemies, left his son Solomon in a manner universal monarch over the whole earth, all the kings of which, as it is said in the book of Chronicles, sought his presence. And indeed the glory of his reign so far exceeds that of any which we hear of before or after it, that Israel in his days seems intended to give us some idea of the church triumphant, as she will appear when, the last enemy being vanquished, and death swallowed up in victory, the son of David shall manifest himself in the new Jerusalem as the Prince of Peace, and reign for ever and ever, King of kings, and Lord of lords.

From this time, we find the Almighty employing, in their turns, the four great monarchies, to protect or annoy, to cherish or chastise the church, as there was occasion. And we hear him making in effect by his prophets the same declaration concerning each of them, that he made before by the mouth of Moses concerning Pharaoh: "In very deed, for this cause "have I raised thee up, to show in thee my power, "and that my name may be declared through all the "earth."

The idolatries and iniquities of the ten tribes, consequent upon their defection from the house of David and the temple at Jerusalem, called for vengeance. And, lo! the Assyrian stands ready to execute it, waiting only for the divine command. At

the time appointed it is given. The Lord lifteth up an ensign to the nations from afar, and mustereth the hosts to the battle, making them the weapons of his indignation to destroy the whole land. Because the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight. They returned no more to that pleasant land, nor saw again their native country. What a fine instance does the Assyrian afford us of the manner in which Providence, using the instrumentality of man's free choice foreseen, causes all the schemes of worldly politicians to work together for the accomplishment of his designs, while they are only attending to their own interests! For thus God states this matter, once for all, by his prophet Isaiah-"O Assyrian, the "rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is "mine indignation. I will send him against an by"pocritical nation, and against the people of my "wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil, "and to take the prey, and to tread them down "like the mire of the streets. Howbeit he meaneth "not so, neither doth his heart think so, but it is in "his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.” The proud Assyrian knew not what Isaiah could have told him, that "when the Lord had performed" by him "his whole work," of correcting his people, he would "punish his stout heart, and the glory of his high looks;" nor saw the absurdity of "the axe "boasting itself against him that heweth therewith." View him before the walls of Jerusalem, at the head