afflicted with thefe plagues, the land of Gofhen, where the Ifraelites dwelt, remained free and unmolested ". From whence they might draw this farther conclufion, that he was as truly gracious to the faithful and obedient, as he was terribly severe on the rebellious and ungodly.

Now, if thefe rational methods of conviction could not prevail on the obftinate Egyptians to repent of their wickednefs, and let Ifrael go; what elfe can reafonably be expected, but that God, in justice, should fuffer their crime to become their punishment; and leave them "to eat the bitter fruit of their own ways, and to be filled with their own devices "?" Accordingly, when they purfued the Ifraelites, with infatuated refolution, into the midft of the fea; God, who was in no wife bound to preferve his enemies by a miracle, fuffered the fea to return to its ftrength-and overwhelm them all.

m Ex. viii. 22.-ix. 4. 26.-x. 23-xii. 13.

n Prov. i. 31.

Ex. xiv. 27, 28.

** Thus

"Thus the Lord got him honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horfemen and, likewife upon his gods;" whom, according to the cuftom of those ancient times, it is probable, he carried in the front of his army ...

I need not obferve what awful impreffions this amazing judgment, must fix on the minds of the feveral nations, to whom it became known; and how forcibly it muft convince them, that the God, who could do fuch mighty wonders, must be greater than all gods: fince, in the -place and things, wherein they were fup

Ex. xiv. 18. Numb. xxxiii. 4.

9 Familiare fuit idololatris antiquioribus, iter præfertim fufcepturis, aut cum hofte congreffuris, idola parvula fecum ferre; ut itineris focios, pugnæque duces atque aufpices haberent deos tutelares, iifque præfentibus cultum exhiberent. SPENCER. de Leg. Heb. Lib. iii. c. iii. § 1. Of this custom we meet with feveral instances in Scripture; and with one even fo low as the days of David. 1 Chron. xiv. 12.

And perhaps the more awful, because of the manner in which it was accomplished. For the ancients accounted drowning a dreadful and accurfed death. Δεινὸν δ ̓ ἐςὶ θανεῖν μετὰ κύμαHESIOD. Op. et Dier. lib. ïï. ver. 305.

σινο

pofed

pofed to have most power, he was now found to be above thems

But I must not, however, forget to mention, that this remarkable punishment, fevere as it was on Pharaoh and his army, might yet be inflicted in great goodness, and be ultimately attended with great benefits, refpecting the nation at large. For, if the various modes of idolatry, then practifed in Egypt, were, as there is fome reason to fufpect, impofed upon the people by the priests, and supported by the foldiery; then, the total deftruction of these oppreffive agents of wickedness happily ferved--to fet the people at full liberty to judge for themfelves; and to follow the impulse of those reflections, which the preceding miracles had excited in their minds. But thofe reflections would naturally lead them, to confider Jehovah, the author of these miracles, as the only great and true Godand confequently, as the fole Being, to whom their veneration was to be now directed. Hence their religion must neces

$ Ex. xviii. II.

farily

farily affume a new form; and become, of course, more pure, perfect, and refined, than it was before. Being reformed themselves, they communicated their improvements to other nations: for moft nations learnt of them-imbibed their fentiments, and copied their manners.

Now, if the cafe was really fuch; if the greatest part of the world derived their policy and religion from the Egyptians; then the reformation of the inhabitants of Egypt might eventually become the reformation of the inhabitants of the greateft part of the globe. A circumftance, which converts the severity of this punishment, into an inftance of benevolence of the moft extenfive kind.

"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out '!” Amen.

Rom. xi. 33.

SER

SERMON XI.

DEUT. xxxii. 9, 10.

The Lord's portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

He found him in a defert land, and in the wafte howling wilderness; he led him about, he inftructed him, he kept him as the apple of

his

TH

HOUGH the children of Ifrael, in confequence of the miracles they had feen in Egypt, and of the wonderful paffage that was opened for them through the RedSea, did now believe and gratefully acknow

D

VOL. I.

" Exod. xiv. 31. Pfal. cvi. 12.

S

ledge,