their own children, under
the notion of appeasing the anger of their gods. An absolute command
from God himself--as in the case of Abraham--entirely alters the moral
nature of the action; since he, and he only, has a perfect sight over
the lives of his creatures, and may appoint whom he will, either angel
or man, to be his instrument of destruction.

14. That it was really the voice of God which pronounced the command,
and not a delusion, might be made certain to Abraham's mind, by means we
do not comprehend, but which we know to be within the power of him who
made our souls as well as bodies, and who can control and direct every
faculty of the human mind: and we may be assured, that if he was pleased
to reveal himself so miraculously, he would not leave a possibility of
doubting whether it was a real or an imaginary revelation: thus the
sacrifice of Abraham appears to be clear of all superstition, and,
remains the noblest instance of religious faith and submission, that
was ever given by a mere man: we cannot wonder that the blessings
bestowed on him for it, should have been extended to his posterity.

15. This book proceeds with the history of Isaac, which becomes very
interesting to us, from the touching scene I have mentioned--and, still
more so, if we consider him as the type of our Saviour: it recounts his
marriage with Rebecca--the birth and history of his two sons,
Jacob,--the father of the twelve tribes, and Esau, the father of the
Edomites or Idumeans--the exquisitively affecting story of Joseph and
his brethren--and of his transplanting the Israelites into Egypt, who
there multiplied to a great nation.

_Of Exodus._

16. In Exodus, you read of a series of wonders, wrought by the Almighty
to rescue the oppressed Israelites from the cruel tyranny of the
Egyptians, who having first received them as guests, by degrees reduced
them to a state of slavery. By the most peculiar mercies and exertion in
their favour, God prepared his chosen people to receive, with reverent
and obedient hearts, the solemn restitution of those primitive laws,
which probably he had revealed to Adam and his immediate descendants; or
which, at least, he had made known by the dictates of conscience, but
which time, and the degeneracy of mankind, had much obscured.

17. This important revelation was made to them in the wilderness of
Sinai; there, assembled before the burning mountain, surrounded with
"blackness, and darkness, and tempe