Balaam died by the hand of those whom he had beguiled into idolatry: Judas Iscariot by his own. During the two concluding months of the fortieth year, Moses, knowing that his death was at hand, delivered to the then existing generation of the Israelites, most of whom either were not born when the law was originally given, or were too young to enter fully into its meaning, a recapitulation (Æ) of the Divine commands, with such slight additions or variations as he had been instructed to make. That he might inspire them with the deepest conviction of their own unworthiness, and of the long-suflering and kindness of their heavenly Benefactor; he recalled to their remembrance all the wonderful works which God had wrought in their behalf, and their pwn frequent acts of obstinate incredulity and rebellion. Arid to persuade them by every motive to continue stedfast for the futu.'e in obedient service to that Power, who, notwithstanding so many provocations, was about to give them possession of the land of Canaan; he laid before them in detail a most encouraging catalogue of the blessings which would accompany them as long as they should remain faithful to Jehovah; and prophetically denounced, in terms equally circumstantial, the miseries with which Divine justice would pursue the disobedience of themselves and their posterity. Having performed this concluding office of duty and affection to his countrymen; and having appointed, as the Lord directed him, Joshua to be their leader in his place; having (L) That recapitulation, and the other subjects mentioned in this paragraph, form the contents of the book of Deuteronomy. having committed the Book of the Law, which he had written, to the care of the Levites, that it might be preserved by the side of the Ark; he ascended to the top of Mount Nebo: and having from that station surveyed the promised land, which he was not to enter, died before the Lord. His body was buried by the Lord in a valley in the country os the Moabites, in a spot not disclosed to th* children of Israel; lest, as it mould seem, their reverence lor the memory of their departed lawgiver, concurring with their inherent proneness to idolatry, mould afterwards lead them to pay religious honours to his remains. Such was, as to this world and its labours, the end of Moses, the servant of God. In every instance, except in ttiat which was punished, for an awful proof of the impartial dealings of the Supreme Being with men, by his being forbidden t@ enter the land of promise; he appears to have discharged with unabated zeal the commission with which he was entrusted. The law which through his instrumentality was communicated to the Israelites, consisted partly of instructions and precepts in themselves of a moral and religious nature; partly of ceremonial ordinances, and directions, respecting points originally indifferent. The former branch contained a clear revelation of the eternity, the power, the wisdom, the goodness, and the other insinite perfections, of the only God, the Maker, the Preserver, the Governor, and the Judge of the universe. In the ten commandments, the sum of moral duty may truly be said to be comprehended j sin.ee the prohibition bition of the chief crime in each class of osfences evidently includes, by parity of reasoning, the prohibition of all inferior crimes of that class, as partaking of the sinful nature, and tending ultimately to produce the guilt, of the greatest. The subordinate duties thus implied in the commandments were afterwards in a great variety of cafes detailed and exemplified at large in other parts of the books of Moses. This branch of the law is manifestly of universal and perpetual obligation; and is repeatedly mentioned as such by our Saviour. The other branch was designed to be obligatory on the Jews only; and on them no longer than until the coming of the Messiah, whose sufferings and atonement many of its rites and ceremonies prefigured. If in this part of the law we should meet with some directions, the object and utility of which should not at first sight be apparent to us; let us beware of setting up the conclusions of our ignorance against the unbounded wisdem of the Deity. A closer consideration of the subject will teach us humbly to acknowledge, that all these institutions answered the purposes of exercising the Israelites in faith and obedience; of preserving them a distinct and separate people; and of training them by a peculiar mode of discipline (/), wisely according with their habits, prepossessions and circumstances, for the reception of the new dispensation to be revealed under the Messiah. It will teach us also that many of those directions, which rashness and presumption are sometimes heard to censure as trifling, and unworthy of the Divine attention, were specifically calculated to guard the people of Israel from being betrayed into certain particular modes of idolatry and wickedness prevalent in the nations among whom they were to dwell. CHAPTER III. SUMMARY VIEW OF THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS FROM THE DEATH OF MOSES TO THE PRESENT TIME. J OSHUA, having received from the Almighty a promise of unfailing support (#), and a grant, in behalf of the Israelites, of the whole region extending from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean, and from the mountains of Lebanon on the north to the Wilderness of Sin on the south (b); prepared to put the twelve tribes into possession of their inheritance. The hand of God was stretched out to aid him. The waters of the river Jordan, at that time overflowing, like the Nile, with its annual inundation, were miraculously parted asunder to' afford a passage on dry ground (a) Joshua, i. j. {b) Josh. i. 4. See also Numb, xxxiv. 3.—Deut. xi. 24,— and Gen. xv. 18. ground to the host. The walls of Jericho fell to the earth. The fun and the moon stood still to afford Israel time for the complete overthrow of his enemies. The extirpation of the Canaanites was gradual; that the beasts of the field might not have time to multiply and overspread the land (t). But before the death of Joshua, the country, though a considerable portion remained to be subdued, was divided by lot, according to the command of God, among the tribes; with the exception of that of Levi, and of those which had already received at their own request their inheritance in the conquered kingdoms of the Amorites, on the other side of the Jordan. The Levites were provided with cities for the residence of their families; and with an ample subsistence from the sacrifices and tithes of other tribes, on whose behalf, as well as on their own, they were to minister at the altar. The command, which God had given to Israel respecting the Canaanites, was, that they should be exterminated. "Of the cities of these people, "which the Lord thy God doth give thee for thine "inheritance, thou (halt save nothing alive that "breatheth." The reason of this injunction is immediately subjoined: "thou shalt utterly destroy "them, as the Lord thy God hath commanded "thee; that they teach you not to do after all "their abominations (d)." Persons, who seem to have conceived that to cavil at the Bible is a mark of discernment, have eagerly seized upon this passage; and have represented it as containing a sanguinary (e) Deut. vii. 22. (d) Deut. xx. 16. I |