our Fathers went down into Ægypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians vexed us and our Fathers, and when we cried unto the Lord, he beard our voice, Num. xx. 14. The Edomites, as well as the Moabites and Ammonites, were put into Poffeffion of their Country, by the fame Divine Power by which the Ifraelites became poffefs'd of the Land of Canaan, and the Children of Ifrael were not to meddle with them, Deut. ii. 5.

Jacob is fent to Padan-Aram, to take to Wife one of the Daughters of Laban, and with him he abode twenty Years, Gen. xxxi. 38. and all which he took in hand profpered fo, that there was the vifible Power and Bleffing of God in it, as Laban confefs'd, Gen. XXX. 27. Ifaac was not to leave the Land of Canaan, but was forbid to remove into Egypt, when there was a Famine in the Land, Gen. xxvi. 2. and he was not upon any account to return into Chaldea, or to go out of Canaan, Gen. xxiv. 6,8. but Jacob went out of it, when there were enough of Abraham's Houfe befides to keep up a fenfe of the true Religion among the Canaanites.

Afterwards God manifefted himself to the Egyptians, by a various and wonderful Providence; for the fojourning of the children of Ifrael, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty Years, (Exod. xii. 40.) 'till at laft, by Signs and Wonders, and dreadful Judgments; by Judgments upon their Firfl-born, and upon their Gods, Num. xxxiii. 4. they were brought out from thence; and the Nations heard the fame of it, and all the Earth was filled with the glory of the Lord, Num. xiv. 15, 21,

Thus Chaldea and Egypt, the most famous and flourishing Countries, in thofe Ages of the World, had the true Religion brought home to them by the Patriarchs, who were fent from Place to Place to fojourn, to be a Pattern and Example to the rest of Mankind. And Men who travell'd fo far, and con

vers'd with fo many Nations, and were fo zealous for God's Honour, and had fuch frequent Revelations, and the immediate Direction of God himself, in most of the Actions of their Lives, and who were fo Great and Powerful, and fo Numerous, muft needs mightily propagate Religion where-ever they came, and leave the Idolaters without excufe; and it cannot be doubted but that they had great Succefs in all Places; for even out of Egypt, where they endured the greatest Hardships, and were in fuch Contempt and Hatred, yet a mix'd multitude went up alfo with them, befides the native Ifraelites, Exod. xii. 38.

And as Chaldea and Egypt were famous for Learning and Commerce, and proper Places, by their fituation, from whence the Notions of Religion might be propagated both towards the East and the Weft, to other Parts of the World; fo I muft again otferve, that God's Mercy was particularly manifested towards the Canaanites before their Destruction: The Example of Melchizedeck, who reign'd among them, and the fojourning of Abraham, and Lot, and Ifaac, and Jacob, not to mention Ifhmael and Efau, with their numerous Families, afforded them continual Invitations, and Admonitions for their Inftruction and Amendment; efpecially the Judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and the miraculous Deliverance of Lot, was enough to ftrike an Awe and Terrour into the most Obdurate. But when they would not make any due ufe of thefe Mercies, when they perfifted ftill in their Impieties, and proceeded in them till they had fill'd up the measure of their Iniquities; God made them an Example to others, after they would take no Warning themselves; yet ftill execùting his judgments upon them by little and little, he gave them place of repentance, not being ignorant that they were a naughty generation, and that their malice was bred in them, and that their Cogitation would never be changed, Wifd. xii. 10.

How

How much the true Religion prevail'd by these Difpenfations of Providence, among other Nations befides the Hebrews, we have an illuftrious Inftance in Job and his Friends, who were Princes in their feveral Dominions; they had Knowledge of the Fall of the Angels, Job iv. 18. and of the Original Corruption of Man, which is exprefs'd with this Emphafis, that he cannot be clean, or righteous, who is born of a woman; becaufe by Eve's Tranfgreffion, Sin came into the World, Job xiv. I. xv. 14. and xxv. 4. Adam is mention'd chap. xxxi. 33. the Refurrection is defcrib'd chap. xiv. 12. and it appears that Revelations were vouchfafed to thefe Nations, chap. xxxiii. 15. It appears that the Fundamentals of Religion were known Doctrines amongft them, and are therefore méntion'd both by fob himself, and by his Friends, in as plain terms as may be, and as fully as can be expected in a Book which is Poetical, the Nature whereof requires that known things fhould be alluded to, but not fo particularly related as in Hiftory. And there is no doubt but the Propagation of Religion, in other parts of the World, would be as evident, if the Scriptures had not occafionally only, and in the courfe of other things, but of fet purpofe treated of this Matter; as we may gather from the Footfteps to be found in Heathen Authors, of what the Scriptures deliver to us, and from the feveral Allufions and Reprefentations in the Rites and Ceremonies of their Religions, expreffing, tho' obfcurely and confufedly, the chief Points of the Scripture-ftory, as has been fhewn by divers learned Men. It must be remember'd, that the Patriarchs built Altars wherever they came, to which they with their numerous Followers reforted to offer Sacrifice and call upon the name of the Lord, Gen. viii. 10. xii. 7, 8. xiii. 4, 18, xxvi. 25. xxxiii. 20. xxxv. 7. which publick and folemn Worship rendred their Piety very obfervable and exemplary. And it may with great Probability be

con

concluded, that not only the Prieft, but the Place and Time for Divine Worfhip were appropriated and ftated from the beginning, inasmuch as Cain and Abel brought their Offerings, at the fame time, at the end of days to the fame Place, to Adam, to be prefented by him to the Lord in Sacrifice.For fo fome of the ancient Jewish Expofitors explain this Paflage cons cerning Cain and Abel.

2. In fucceeding Ages, after the giving the Law, when the Jews, by their Laws concerning Religion and Government, may feem to have been wholly fe parated from the reft of the World, and the Divine Revelations confin'd to one Nation, there ftill were fufficient Means and frequent Opportunities for all Nations to come to the Knowledge of the Truth. And here I fhall fhew, 1. That the Law of Mofes did particularly provide for the Inftruction of other Nations in the Reveal'd Religion, and that the Scri ptures give frequent Commandment and Encouragement concerning it. 2. That the Providence of God did fo order and difpofe of the Jews in their Affairs, as to offer other Nations frequent Opportunities of becoming inftructed in the true Religion, and that Multitudes of Profelytes were made of all Nations.

The Law of Mofes did particularly provide for the Inftruction of other Nations in the Reveal'd Religion, and the Scriptures give frequent Commandmend and Encouragement concerning it. The Stran gers or Profelytes, amongst the Jews, were of two forts; for either they were fuch as became Circum -cifed, and obliged themfelves to the Obfervation of the whole Law of Mofes, who were ftiled Profelytes of Righteou/nefs, or of the Covenant; or they were fuch as believ'd in the True God, and profefs'd only to obferve the Precepts given to Noah, which comprifed the Subftance of the Ten Commandments; and thefe were call'd Profelytes of the Gates, because they

were

were permitted to live amongst them, within their
Gates; these are the Strangers in their Gates, mention'd
Deut. xiv. 21. who might eat of fuch things as the
Ifraelites themselves were forbidden to eat of

If any would be Circumcifed, and undertake the Obfervation of the whole Law, they had full Liberty, and the greatest Encouragement to do it. At the firft Inftitution of Circumcifion, not only Abraham and his Seed, but his whole Family, and all that were bought with money of any Stranger, were to be Circumcifed, Gen. xvii. 12, 27. and at the Inftitution of the Paffover, the Stranger is commanded to obferve it, as well as the Natural Ifraelite, Exod. xii. 19. God made no diftinction in the Inftitution of both these Sacraments, between the Jews, and those other Nations that dwelt amongst them, and were willing to conform themselves to the Obfervation of the Law; but first to Abraham, when he appointed Circumcifion, and then to Mofes, when the Paffover was inftituted, particular Order is given concerning Strangers or Prot felytes, who would betake themselves to them, one law fhall be to him that is home-born, and to the ftranger that fejourneth among you, Exod. xii. 49: Deut. xxix. II. And as the receiving the Seal of Circumcifion was an Admiffion into Covenant with God, and imply'd an Obligation to obferve the whole Law, and a Right to the Privileges of it, which was confirm'd and renew'd by their partaking of the Paffover; fo it is to be obferv'd, not only that God did in general admit Strangers and Aliens to the fame Worfhip with the Jews, but that throughout their whole Law frequent mention is made of them, and care taken for their Reception and Behaviour: For though what is but once faid in Scripture, is a fufficient Proof of the Will and Pleasure of God in any matter; yet when a thing is often mention'd, and every-where inculcated, it is an Evidence to us, that God would have the more Notice taken of it, and has laid the ftrictest Obligation upon

all