The Utility of Profane Hiftory, especially with regard to Religion. THE HE ftudy of profane hiftory would be unworthy of a ferious attention, and of a confiderable length of time, if it were confined to the dry know ledge of ancient tranfactions, and an unpleafing enquiry into the æras when each of them happened. It little concerns us to know, that there was once fuch men as Alexander, Cæfar, Ariftides, or Cato, and that they lived in this or that period; that the empire of the Affyrians made way for that of the Babylonians, and the latter for the empire of the Medes and Perfians, who were themfelves fubjected by the Macedonians, as these were afterwards by the Romans. But it highly concerns us to know, by what methods those empires were founded; the fteps by which they rofe to the exalted pitch of grandeur we fo much admire ; what it was that conftituted their true glory and feli city, and what were the causes of their declenfion and fall. It is of no lefs importance to study attentively the manners of different nations; their genius, laws, and cuftoms; and especially to acquaint ourfelves with the character and difpofition, the talents, virtues, and even vices of those men by whom they were governed; and whofe good or bad qualities contributed to the grandeur or decay of the states over which they prefided. Such are the great objects which ancient hiftory prefents; exhibiting to our view all the kingdoms and empires of the world; and, at the fame time all the great men who are any ways confpicuous; thereby inftructing us, by example rather than precept, in the VOL. I. B arts arts of empire and war, the principles of government, the rules of policy, the maxims of civil fociety, and the conduct of life that fuits all ages and conditions. We acquire at the fame time, another knowledge which cannot but excite the attention of all perfons who have a taste and inclination for polite learning; I mean, the manner in which arts and fciences were invented, cultivated, and improved; we there difcover and trace, as it were with the eye, their origin and progrefs; and perceive with admiration, that the nearer we approach thofe countries which were once inhabited by the fons of Noah, in the greater perfection we find the arts and sciences; and that they seem to be either neglected or forgot, in proportion to the remotenefs of nations from them; fo that, when men attempted to revive thofe arts and sciences, they were obliged to go back to the fource from whence they originally flowed. I give only a tranfient view of these objects, though fo very important, in this place, becaufe I have already treated them with fome extent elsewhere*. But another object, of infinitely greater importance, claims our attention. For although profane history treats only of nations who had imbibed all the chimeras of a fuperftitious worship; and abandoned themselves to all the irregularities of which human nature, after the fall of the first man, became capable; it neverthelefs proclaims univerfally the greatnefs of the Almighty, his power, his justice, and above all, the admirable wifdom with which his providence governs the universe. If the t inherent conviction of this laft truth raised according to Cicero's obfervation, the Romans above all other nations; we may in like manner, affirm, that nothing gives hiftory a greater fuperiority to many other * Vol. III. and IV. of the Method of teaching and studying the Belles Lettres, &c. + Pictate ac religione, atque hac una fapientia quod deorum immortalium numine omnia regi gubernarique perfpeximus, omnes gentes nationefque fuperavi gus. Orat. de Aruí. refp. n. 19. branches branches of literature, than to fee in a manner imprinted, in almoft every page of it, the precious footsteps and fhining proofs of this great truth, viz. that God difpofes all events as fupreme lord' and sovereign; that he alone determines the fate of kings and the duration of empires; and that he, for reasons infcrutable to all but himself, transfers the government of kingdoms from one nation to another. We discover this important truth in going back to the most remote antiquity, and the origin of profane hiftory; I mean, to the difperfion of the pofterity of Noah into the feveral countries of the earth where they fettled. Liberty, chance, views of intereft, a love for certain countries, and fuch like motives, were, in outward appearance, the only caufes of the different choice which men made in thefe various migrations. But the fcriptures inform us, that amidst the trouble and confufion that followed the fudden change in the language of Noah's defcendants, God prefided invifibly over all their counfels and deliberations; that nothing was tranfacted but by the Almighty's appointment; and that he only guided and fettled all mankind agreeably to the dictates of his mercy and juftice. "The Lord fcattered them abroad from thence upon the face of the earth." We must therefore confider as an indifputable principle, and as the basis and foundation to the ftudy of profane hiftory, that the providence of the Almighty has, from all eternity, appointed the establishment, duration, and deftruction of kingdoms and empires, as well in regard to the general plan of the whole univerfe, known only to God, who conftitutes the order and wonderful harmony of its several parts; as particularly with respect to the people of Ifrael, and still * The ancients themselves, according to Pindar (Olymp. Od. vii.) retained fome idea, that the difperfion of men was not the effect of chance, but that they had been fettled in different countries by the appointment of providence. B 2 more more with regard to the Meffiah, and the establishment of the church, which is his great work, the end and defign of all his other works, and ever present to his fight: Notum à feculo eft Domino opus fuum. God has vouchfafed to discover to us in holy fcripture, a part of the relation of the feveral nations of the earth to his own people; and the little so discovered, diffufes great light over the hiftory of those nations, of whom we shall have but a very imperfect idea, unless we have recourfe to the infpired writers. They alone dif. play, and bring to light, the fecret thoughts of princes, their incoherent projects, their foolish pride, their impious and cruel ambition: they reveal the true caufes and hidden springs of victories and overthrows; of the grandeur and declension of nations; the rife and ruin of ftates; and teach us what judgment the Almighty forms both of princes and empires, and confequently, what idea we ourselves ought to entertain of them. As God appointed fome princes to be the inftruments of his vengeance, he made others the difpenfers of his goodness. He ordained Cyrus to be the deliverer of his people; and, to enable him to fupport with dignity fo glorious a function, he endued him with all the quali ties which conftitute the greatest captains and princes; and caused that excellent education to be given him, which the heathens fo much admired, though they neither knew the author nor true cause of it. We fee in profane history the extent and swiftness of his conquefts, the intrepidity of his courage, the wifdom of his views and defigns; his greatness of foul, his noble generofity; his truly paternal affection for his fubjects; and, in them, the grateful returns of love and tenderness, which made them confider him rather as their protector and father, than their lord and fovereign. We find, I say, all these particulars in profane hiftory; but we do not perceive the fecret principle of fo many exalted quali ties nor the hidden spring which fet them in motion. But Ifaiah affords us this light, and delivers himself • Acts xv. 18. in * in words fuitable to the greatness and majefty of the God who infpired him. He reprefents this all-powerful God of armies as leading Cyrus by the hand, marching before him, conducting him from city to city, and from province to province; "fubduing nations before him, loosening the loins of kings, breaking in pieces gates of brafs, cutting in funder the bars of iron,' throwing down the walls and bulwarks of cities, and putting him in poffeffion "of the treasures of darkness, and the hidden riches of fecret places." The prophet alfo tells us the cause and motive of all these wonderful events. It was in order to punish Babylon, and to deliver Judah, that the Almighty conducts Cyrus, ftep by step, and gives fuccefs to all his enterprises. I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways.-For Jacob my fervant's fake, and Ifrael mine elect." But this prince is fo blind and ungrateful, that he does not know his mafter, nor remember his benefactor. I have furnamed thee, though thou haft not known me,-I girded thee, though thou haft not known me.' 66 t Men feldom form to themselves a right judgment of true glory, and the duties effential to regal power. The fcripture only gives us a full idea of them, and this it does in a wonderful manner, under the image of a very large and ftrong tree, whofe top reaches to heaven, and whofe branches extend to the extremities of the earth. As. its foliage is very abundant, and it is bowed down with fruit, it conftitutes the ornament and felicity of the plains around it. It fupplies a Ifa. xlv. 13, 14. r Ifa. xlv. 13, 4. Thus faith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whofe right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings to open before him the two-leaved gates, and the gates fhall not be shut. I will go before thee, and make the crooked places ftraight; I will break in pieces the gates of brafs, and cut in funder the bars of iron. And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of fecret places, that thou mayeft know that I the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Ifrael,—Ifa. xlv. 1—8. grateful |