are ready to say of them as the Jews did of the Apostles, " These men are full of new wine," they are foolish, they are mad. But they understand each other : though brought from the most distant parts of the earth, there will be found such an agreement between them, as will unite their hearts to each other in the closest bonds of love. What was said of them before their dispersion g, may be said of them now again, " They are all one, and they have all one language." Though Egyptians by nature, they have learned the language of Canaan11, and are again united in building an edifice that shall last for ever.
Let us then bless our God for these rich mercies ; and from being " strangers and foreigners, let us seek to become fellow- citizens with the saints, and of the household of God."]
s ver. 6. h Isai. xix. 18.
Gen. xii. 1 — 4. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy fathers house, unto a land that I tvill shew thee : And I will make of thee a great nation, and 1 will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing : And I tvill bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee : and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him.
OUR God has been pleased to teach us, no less by example than by precept : and the instruction to be gathered from the life and conduct of his saints, com- mends itself to us with peculiar force, as being less open to the evasions of criticism, or the objections of prejudice. Doubtless we must exercise a sober judg- ment in determining hoxo far we are to follow the Patriarchs, Prophets, or Apostles ; for there were many things in their conduct which were peculiar to their situation and circumstances. But we can never ma- terially err, if we attend to the spirit of their actions : here they were patterns to us : and as far as relates to this, we are to be " followers of them who through faith and patience now inherit the promises." We are bidden particularly to " walk in the steps of our