A Sermon on Occafion ofa public Fafl. 337 f gnally exemplified in the Ifraelites, as their SERM. prophets often put them in mind, and give XIII. many undeniable inítances of it, but not con- fined to them ; it has been marveloufly exer- cifed towards other nations, even their ene- mies. If a peculiar indulgence had been íhewn to the people who were called by God's name, this might have been otherwife ac- counted for than by his pity to mankind, and even called partiality ; but the fpecial privi- leges granted to fome, which as abfolute fo- vereign he may give as he pleafes, for, as our Saviour fpeaks, * He may do with his own what he will, are fo far from intrenching on his goodnefs to all, that in this particular cafe, though by folemn promife the land of Canaan was granted to the pofterity of Abra- ham, yet the execution of that grant muff be fufpended, and the poffefiion of the land denied to the children of Ifrael, till the ini- quities of the zlmorites fhould be full, as it is laid f, that is, their tranfgreffìons become fo odious and univerfal as to make them ripe for a total extirpation. So that the favourite If- rael muff be kept out of his promifed inheri- tance, till the utmofl demands of mercy, which is fupreme in the government of all * Mat. xx. ts. fi Genefis xv. 16, V 0 L. II. Z man-
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