Thine forth in Scripture, in his Dealings with, and Difpenfations to that untoward Nation; fo noble and elevated is the Subject; with fuch Dignity and Sublimity of Stile is it treated; with fuch Variety of Events is it embellifhed; fo amazing and aftonishing are the Occurrences therein contained; that on this Account alone, could it not challenge it on any other, it highly deferves the Preference of all Hiftories ever yet written, did we only confider it as more entertaining, improving, and inftructive. Infomuch that any Man, who after a ferious Perufal thereof, could throw it afide, to take up any other, must have a very infipid Tafte, as well as a depraved Judgment, and it is to be feared a very corrupt Mind.

But

Thus much we thought proper to fay on this Occafion, to vindicate the Holy Scriptures from that Contempt, into which, forry are we to speak it, they are fo undefervedly fallen, through the enormous Wickedness of the prefent Age, that a modern fine Gentleman would be more afhamed of being caught by his Companions reading in the Bible, than he would with Rochefter's Poems, the deteftable Play of Sodom, or even with a common Whore. leaving fuch poor Wretches to that Remorfe which will furely one Day find them, though perhaps it may prove too late, we shall now return from whence we digreffed, namely, to the infinite Wildom, Juftice, and Mercy of the Divine Majefty, as difplayed in his aftonishing Difpenfations towards the idolatrous Jews, and as contained in facred Writ.

The firft Inftance we fhall mention thereof, as indeed it is one of the most amazing, whether we confider the Audacioufness, Infoience, and unparalleled Ingratitude of the rebellious Jews, or the infinite Mercy of a long-fuffering, though A migh ty God, is what we have already taken fome Norice

of

of in our Introduction, and therefore fhall only run over again curforily, as it is the firft Example recorded in Scripture, of their Pronenefs to Idolatry, and alfo as it was fcarce above three Months after their fignal Deliverance from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, and at a Juncture when they might be laid to be under the immediate Infpection of the Divine Majefty, and were even Eye-witneffes of his Glory, which abode upon Mount Sinai.

One would think. a People fo gloriously and furprizingly rescued from the moft cruel Slavery and inevitable Deftruction, and under the continual and miraculous Guidance and Protection of Heaven, in a Pillar of a Cloud and of Fire, and at a Time when they were almoft Eye-witneffes of the Divine Prefence, would hardly have wanted any other Gods to go before them. Yer, to our Amazement, we find fo it was: For Mofes ftaying in the Mount fomewhat longer than they expected, they immediately grow out of Patience, flock about Aaron, and cry, Up, make us Gods to go before us; for as for this Mofes, the Man that brought us up out of the Land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him: And, what is equally aftonishing, Aaron readily complied with their impious Requeft, and makes them a molten Calf, which they worship, afcribing to that the Honour of bringing them out of Egypt.

This was fuch an impious and audacious Affront and Infult offered to the Divine Majefty, in giving his Glory to a life lefs Image, the Work of a Man's Hand, and that contrary to the Teftimory of their own Confciences, that it is a moft amazing Inftance of his Mercy and Forbearance that he did not immediately destroy them all; and indeed he had done fo, but that he was intreated by Mofes for them, and fpared them; yet not fo far, but that all the Levites were ordered to arm themselves, and flay every Man his Brother, and every Mon his Companion,

F

Companion, and every Man his Neighbour, infomuch that about Three Thoufand fell by the Sword that Day. A juft, but very mild Punishment for

their abominable Sin!

One would imagine, having thus narrowly escaped the Vengeance of that God, of whofe formidable Power they had seen fuch a dreadful Inftance in the Deftruction of all the Egyptians, that they fhould have taken Warning thereby, how they fell again into the fame Tranfgreffion, left they fhould fuffer worfe for it. And yet it was not long before this incorrigible People, forgetful of all the Goodnefs of their Divine Benefactor and Protector, who had just before delivered Arad the Canaanite, Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og King of Bashan, of the Race of the Giants, into their Hands, revolted a fecond Time against him, committed Whoredom with the Daughters of Moab, eating of the Sacrifices they had offered to their falfe Gods, and bowig down unto them. But neither was it long before they felt the hopeful Effects of this their Folly and Wickedness; for he immediately fent the Plague amongst them, fo that no less than Twentyfour Thoufand of them died thereof.

Neither had they come off so easily, had it not been for Phinehas, the Son of Eleazar the High Prieft, who feeing Zimri, one of the Princes of the Tribe of Simeon, bring Cosbi the Daughter of Zur; one, of the Princes of Midian into the Camp, and lead her into his Tent, in the Face of Mofes, and of all the Ifraelites, who were weeping before the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, for their Folly and Wickedness, was fo highly incenfed thereat, that he followed the bold Offender into his Tent, and transfixed them both with his Javelin, whilft in the very Commiffion of their Sin. This great Zeal of Phinehas for the Honour of his GOD, proved falutary to the Children of Ifrael, for

the

the Lord, highly pleafed therewith, accepted of the Sacrifice he had thus offered, of those audacious Tranfgreffors, as an Atonement for their Wickedness, and immediately the Plague was ftayed. Nor did Phinehas himself go unrewarded, for this his feafonable and holy Zeal for the Honour of his great Creator, for the Lord gave him his Bleffing, and affured him, the Priesthood fhould remain in his Family for many Generations, as it accordingly

did.

Thus have we a remarkable Example both of the good Effects of Zeal against Idolatry, and of the fatal Effects of being given to that heinous Sin; no fooner are the Ifraelites drawn away by the Midianitish Women, to join themselves unto Baalpeor, than they are fmitten with the Plague, and in a few Days, nay, for aught we know to the contrary, in a few Hours, Twenty-four Thoufand are cut off. Whereas, on the other hand, Phinehas, by a feasonable Sacrifice of an audacious, Offender, not only appeafes GOD, and stays the Plague, but intails the Priesthood, the fecond Dignity amongst the Jews, upon himself and his Family. To fay the Truth, the Ifraelites themfelves, as prone as they were otherwife to Idolatry, feem to have taken Notice hereof, and kept it in their Remembrance for fome confiderable Time; for we hear no more of their Idolatry all the Days of Mofes, nor yet of Joshua who fucceeded Mofes, nor of the Elders who out-lived Fabua, and had known all the Works the Lord had done for Ifrael.

But not long after, we find, when they had not thofe Monitors, to put them in Remembrance of the Lord's mighty Deeds, they again revolt, intermarry with the Heathen that are around them in the Land of Canaan, and ferve their Gods. Hereupon the Lord immediately forfook them, and delivered them into the Hand of Chuban-rifhathaim,

King of Mefopotamia, whom they were forced to ferve for Eight Years; and no doubt their Servitude was hard enough. For, towards the Expiration of that Time, they returned unto their God, and cried unto him, and immediately he raised them up a Deliverer, in the Perfon of Othniel the Son of Kenaz, who defeated Chushan-rishathaim, and fecured to the Ifraelites the Enjoyment of Peace forty Years.

This was but a fhort Time, and yet it was as long as that unthankful People could remember their Deliverance, or even their Sufferings; for we find they fell again into their old Sin, and accordingly the Lord again delivered them into the Hand of their Enemies, namely, of Eglon, King of Moat, whom they were forced to ferve Eighteen Years. Being by that Time come a little to themselves, and returning to their God, he raised them up a Deliverer, in the Perfon of Ebud, a Benjamite, who by the Death of the King of Moab, whom he killed with his own Hand, and by the Slaughter of Ten Thousand of his People, refcued the Ifraelites from Bondage, and procured them the Enjoyment of their Liberty for fourfcore Years.

Towards the Expiration of that Term, they returned, like a Dog to the Vomit; upon which the Lord delivered them into the Hands of Jabin King of Canaan, who oppreffed them grievously for Twenty Years. Whereupon they became fenfible of their Folly, and turned again unto their God, and he again had Pity on them, and fent them Deliverance by the Means of Deborah, Barak, and Fael, who utterly defeated the Army of Fabin, leaving not a Man of them alive, and flew Sifera his General, fo that the Ifraelites were fully avenged of, and delivered from their Oppreffors. It is not mentioned in Scripture how long they enjoyed the Liberty Heaven thus fent them; but of one Thing

we