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Moses, before his death, blesseth the children of Israel.

1 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.

4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

5 And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.

an help to him from his enemies. 8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;

9 Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. 10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.

11 Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

6 Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few. 12 And of Benjamin he said, 7 And this is the blessing of Ju- The beloved of the LORD shall dah: and he said, Hear, LORD, dwell in safety by him; and the the voice of Judah, and bring LORD shall cover him all the him unto his people : let his hands day long, and he shall dwell bebe sufficient for him; and be thou tween his shoulders. LECTURE 363.

The comfort which we may derive from the blessings of old. The future circumstances of the several tribes had been already foreshewn, in the blessings which Jacob uttered with his dying lips. See Gen. 49. The particulars here set down by Moses, are so many more distinct prophecies, fitted at once to encourage the tribes in faithful devotion to the law of God, and to confirm us, who know the issue, in the conviction, that it was God who inspired these words. Blessed be his holy name, that all his promises concern all true Israelites, of all tribes, every where ! Thanks be to his grace, and goodness, that there is not a word of comfort, not a topic of encouragement in well doing, of all that are here addressed to his people of old, which we may not, with due allowance, and accommodation, take home to our own hearts!

Has not He, who was the true "king in Jeshurun," given us a law for our guidance, a most precious inheritance to the congregation of believers, in all places, and at all times? Shall not we sit

down at his feet, and learn? Are not his saints now upheld in his hands? Does not He love his people with love unspeakable? And whilst his Gospel may be called "a fiery law," for the warmth and light which it every where diffuses, did He not also deign to dwell on earth Himself, to shine forth by the light of his example, and by the glory of his death, and resurrection, and ascension; with a light more vivid, and powerful to penetrate the heart, than the lightnings which shone around from mount Sinai, and Seir, and Paran? Yes; and He will also come again, we know; and that, "with ten thousands of saints." The spirits of his departed servants, with bodies glorified after the fashion of his own, shall form part of his triumphant company. And they which honoured his Gospel by believing it, and obeying it, on earth, shall then appear at his right hand in honour. Knowing, as we do, that it shall be thus hereafter, may we not suppose it possible, that the saints which came with God, at the revelation of the Law, were the spirits of holy men of old, who had departed this present life, before the Law was given? And shall it seem strange that they should have already companied with God, when we have the warrant of St. Paul for expecting, that to us, when we shall die, no interval of time will elapse, between these two things which he speaks of as all one, " to depart, and to be with Christ?" Phil. 1. 23.

And now let us take comfort to ourselves, from the blessings pronounced by Moses, on Reuben, and Judah, and Levi, and Benjamin. "Let Reuben live, and not die;" this is the great gain of a Christian life, this is the great blessing assured to them that believe in Christ: "whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." John 11. 26. "And let not his men be few;" this is the joyful hope of them, which look for a better resurrection; that notwithstanding the abundance of iniquity, there will be at the end of all things, "a great multitude, which no man could number," to join with them in saying, "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. Rev. 7. 9, 10. Our voice, like that of Judah, will be heard, for if we ask, it shall be given unto us. We shall be brought in safety, by God's sufficient grace, strengthening our hands, and helping us to overcome our enemies. We have the benefit of an ordained ministry, authorized to teach, to rebuke, and to exhort. And both they, and we, have access to the lively oracles of unerring truth; which, if duly consulted, will never fail to tell us the rule of our duty, the will of our Lord. May we have grace to observe his word! May we be enabled to love neither brethren nor children more than Him! And as we are assured of safety, if beloved of the Lord, nay, and further informed, that He dwelleth in us as in his temple; see 1 Cor. 6. 19; may we ever trust in his protecting power! may we never thanklessly reject his fatherly affection, never do despite to his grace, never grieve his Holy Spirit, never lose, by our own wilful sin, the comfort of his presence in our souls!

Moses concludeth his blessings; and magnifieth God.

13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,

14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by

the moon,

15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, 16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.

17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

18 And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.

19 They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.

20 And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.

in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.

22 And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.

23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south.

24 And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.

25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.

27 The eternal God is thy refuge,and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread up

21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there, on their high places.

LECTURE 364.

The majesty of God, and the greatness of his salvation. Let the blessing of Joseph teach us to ask for better things, than those which are upon the face of the earth, and beneath its sur

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face, and in the air above it, and in all the outward world around it. Let us seek" the good will of him that dwelt in the bush ;" the favourable regard of that God who made Himself manifest to Moses, in a bush burning with fire but not consumed. See Exod. 3. 2-4. Let us pray, that with Zebulun we may rejoice in our going out," in our exertions for the good of others; and with Issachar, in our " tents," in the spiritual prosperity of our own families. With Gad let us be thankful for the portion already given us, for the privileges we here enjoy; and let us watch lest our own comforts render us indifferent to the duty, of going foremost into toil and danger, for the benefit of our brethren. In Dan's blessing let us see how the strength of lions, leaping on their prey, may be an emblem of the believer's might, in resisting the devil, and overcoming the world. From "Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord," let us learn the duty of contentment with whatever God shall give us; yea, of thankfulness for the abundance of his goodness. And let Asher blest with children, and "acceptable to his brethren," remind us, that in order for believers to be multiplied, it would be well if they were first agreed amongst each other. May our feet be dipped in the oil of brotherly kindness; and "shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace!" Eph. 6. 15. And the more arduous our work, and more evil our days, may God give us strength accordingly!

And now let us hear with wonder and delight the last words which Moses spake; let us listen, and let us join also, as he turns from blessing Israel, with his dying lips, to glorifying God. "There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky." Great is thy power, and high thy majesty, O thou Creator of all things, whom the heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain! And happy are we thy people, happy every faithful Christian, every true disciple of Jesus; to whom it may be justly said, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them." Such is the support which God has to bestow! Such is the sense in which we would understand, of Christian people, and of the Christian church, what is here said of the safety and prosperity of Israel, when enjoying the blessing of Jehovah. They "dwell in safety," from the assaults of Satan; " alone," separate from sinners. They enjoy plenty as well as peace, happiness, deliverance, salvation, triumph. And all this is theirs, because they have the Lord for their God; because He is the shield of their help, and the sword of their excellency. Oh, "who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath his dwelling so high: and yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth?" Ps. 113. 5. And who is like unto them that are his people, "saved by the Lord?"

Moses seeth the land of promise, and dieth. His character. 1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, 2 And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,

7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.

4 And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but.thou shalt not go over thither. 5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.

10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,

11 In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,

12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel. LECTURE 365.

The excellency of the Law, moral, civil, and ceremonial. It is not uncommon to place, at the beginning or the end of a book, a short account of the writer, of his life, and death, and character. This has been done for the books of Moses, by some other one of the writers of the Old Testament; to whom, under God, we owe the information of this chapter. Here we find that the Lord shewed unto Moses, from the top of Pisgah, an extended view of the promised land; bringing before his eyes, by means of divine power, objects more numerous, and more distant, than he could otherwise have seen. Let us observe, that God can enable us to see, by faith, the things which are invisible. Here we are told, that Moses was not allowed to "go over thither," but died "in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord." Let us note, that no eminence of privileges or of gifts will exempt those who offend God from being punished. But further we see, that God "buried him," so as that no man ever after knew of his sepulchre. This might be on purpose that it should not be known, lest it should become an object of superstition or

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