; thrown into thousands of little colonies, and divided by mountains, rivers, and feas, could no longer associate and act together: at the fame time, the irregularities, which might have their birth from a few of them, could not now be propagated to great numbers for, every nation being unacquainted with the languages of the reft, vice was not to be. transferred from one to another, nor could that, which was the growth of fome lands, take root in more: by this means, the contagion of wickedness had bounds fet to it, and evil example was confin'd, and could not stretch its influence beyond one country. Add to this, that tokens of Divine wrath, levelled on one people for their fins, might thenceforth be a warning to others to avoid the like fins and as contefts for dominion, extent of territory, and the like, must of course, in this ftate of things, arise between different countries, fo bleffings being beftowed on one, and denied to another, and fuccefs and victory being given to the good, and with-held from the bad, this, one may judge, might very naturally lead men in think of their true intereft, time to and create an emulation for virtue among them. In effect, men were fo circumstanced now by being parcelled out into feveral nations, that they might, whenever Gop pleased, be made checks reciprocally upon each other, and be, in his hands, according to their respective virtues or demerits, the inftruments of their own reward or chastisement: a wicked ftate, or community, being brought low, one more worthy could be exalted in the room of it; this people growing diffolute and abandoned, another, lefs debauched, may be made lords and masters over them. On this footing, 'twas morally impof fible, that an univerfal degeneracy should ever take place again, or that wickedness, let it prevail, as it could, in fome parts, fhould prevail alike in all.---And as to partial immorality, whatever there might be of it in particular nations or focieties, it could be of no very ill confequence, there being always room in this circumstance, to check and restrain it in fuch manner or degree, as might be required. Thus things were brought to a fecurity, and men's welfare placed placed on a true bafis for the future, thro' GOD's wisdom in timely difperfing them, and changing their one language into many. There is nothing in all the facred writings, that has been fo much the mark of ridicule, or lain more open to vulgar exception, than the affair now fpoken of; wherefore I was the more defirous to rescue it, as well from irrational constructions, as from cenfures of levity but still I will be fo candid, as not to fupprefs any thing, I know of, that can be faid fairly against it: It may be faid, I guefs, that the dispersion of men at this juncture, and the quashing of their mad counfels, might have been brought about, not only naturally and without a miracle, but directly and at once: I own it: A storm, for example, a very high and furious storm might have scattered and driven them abroad immediately this is poffible; but then, whatever this ftorm was, fuppofing it only to be natural, it could not have dispersed them to fo great a distance, nor kept them afunder fo long, but that they might easily have come together again, after it was over. The confounding therefore of their speech, 'tis highly credible, was the only measure, that could have dispersed and divided them effectually, as well as inftantly, and fo as to answer fully the views of Providence. This story of Babel then is not, after all, fo ftrange a one, as fome grave persons have feemed to think; is not likely to have been the invention of Mofes, being at a loss to account for the variety of languages and nations; but, most probably, was fet down by him under the impulfe and conduct of that infpiring power, which made him a man fo mighty in thought and in act. To difmifs this topic, it was with mankind originally, while remaining in one body, as it is with a great popular tumult or infurrection: the multitude, in this bad collective capacity, run headily into mischief; but when once means are found to difunite and disperse them, their tempers and inclinations foon change; they then keep clofe to their feparate diftricts, and follow their callings in quiet. This difperfion of men was one proper and adequate means to keep them from falling again into an irremediable state of vice and iniquity. Over Over and above this, it pleafed GOD, at different times, to fend into the world divers excellent perfons, for the edification of human nature, and remarkably to illuminate and pour his grace and favour upon them for this end: these were the heroes, whom the great writers of antiquity, in their fables and allegories, make mention of; who broke the barriers of the prince of darkness, and weakned his empire, and therefore were declared to be descended from gods: that is, they were enlightned by the GOD of gods, and through his efpecial favour cleared the mifts from men's eyes, and fhewed them the paths to truth and virtue. It will, I foresee, be objected here, that this is merely an affertion, a thing not to be proved, that there is no need to suppose, that these great men had any light or guide, but nature and reafon : I own, we have no records, facred or other, or any positive proof for fupport of this notion with respect to fome of those great men; let it, then, be allowed to be only a fuppofition; yet it is + Pauci, quos æquus amavit Jupiter, aut ardens evexit ad æthera virtus, Diis geniti, potuere. |