ftines had formerly defired to make a Covenant with Abraham, faying, God is with thee in all that thou doft, &c. Gen. xxi. 22.

Efau, at the Age of Forty Years, marry'd two Wives of the Daughters of the Hittites, Gen. xxvi. 34. which, tho' it griev'd Ifaac and Rebekah, who would have had him marry with their own Kindred, yet must give the Hittites farther Opportunities of acquainting themfelves with the Religion and Worship of the Hebrews; but he marries befides a Daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's Son, Gen. xxviii. 9. which confirm'd and strengthen'd the Alliance between the true Believers. Efau was the Father of the Edomites, and of a numerous Off-fpring of Dukes and Kings, Gen. xxxvi. 9, 31. And according to the Custom and Defign of the Book of Genefis, the Generations defcended from Efau had not been fo particularly fet down, unless they had retain'd the Knowledge and Worship of the True God. 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 poffeft 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 profper'd fo, that there was the visible 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 Senfe of the true Religion among the Canaanites.

Afterwards God manifefted himself to the Egyp tians, 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. 45.) till at laft, by Signs and Wonders, and dreadful Judgments; by Judgments upon their First-barn, 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 convers'd with fo many Nations, and were fo zealous for God's Honour, and had fuch frequent Revelations, and the immediate Direction of God himfelf in most of the Actions of their Lives, and who were so Great and Powerful, and fo Numerous, muft needs mightìly propagate Religion wherever 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 Hardship, 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 Eaft and the West, to other Parts of the World; fo I muft again obferve, that God's Mercy was particularly manifested towards the Canaanites before their Deftruction: The Example of Melchifedeck, who reign'd among them, and the fojourning of Abraham, and Lot, and Ifaac, and Jacob, not to mention Ihmael 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 these 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 executing 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 much the true Religion prevail'd by these Difpenfations of Providence, among other Nations befides the Hebrews, we have an illuftrious Inftance in Fob and his Friends, who were Princes in their several 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 Emphasis, that he cannot be clean, or righteous, who is born of a wooman; becaufe by Eve's Tranfgreffion, Sin came into the World, Job xiv. 1. 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 vouchsafed to thefe Nations, chap. xxxiii. 15. It appears, that the Fundamentals of Religion were known Doctrines amongst them, and are therefore mention'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 should 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

Scriptures had not occafionally only, and in the course of other things, but of fet purpose treated of this Matter; as we may gather from the Footsteps to be found in Heathen Authors, of what the Scriptures deliver to us, and from the several Allufions and Representations 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.

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 feparated from the reft of the World, and the Divine Revelations confin'd to one Nation, there still 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 Scriptures give frequent Commandment and Encourage ment 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 instructed in the true Religion, and that Multitudes of Profelytes were made of all Nations.

1. The Law of Mofes did particularly provide for the Inftruction of other Nations in the Reveal'd Religion, and the Scriptures give frequent Commandment and Encouragement concerning it. The Stran gers or Profelytes, amongst the Jews, were of two forts for either they were fuch as became Circumcifed, and obliged themfelves to the Obfervation of the whole Law of Mofes, who were ftyled Profelytes of Righteousness, 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

and thefe were call'd Profelytes of the Gates, because they were permitted to live amongst them, within their Gates; thefe are the Strangers in their Gates, mention'd Deut. xiv. 21. who might eat of fuch things as the Ifraelites themfelves 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 first 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 circum cifed, 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 ProJelytes, who would betake themselves to them, one law fhall be to him that is home-born, and to the ftranger that Jojourneth among you, Exod. xii. 49. Deut. xxix. 11. And as the receiving the Seal of Circumcifion was an Admission 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 ob ferv'd, not only that God did in general admit Strangers and Aliens to the fame Worship with the Jews but that throughout their whole Law frequent mention is made of them, and care taken for their Recep tion 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