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xiv. 25.

45.

Afterwards, when the children of Ifrael were greatly multiplied, according to God's Promife, and having left Egypt, took their March through the Deserts of Arabia, they were under a Neceffity of encountering feveral Nations, before they pafs'd over fordan into the Promis'd Land. Their first Conflict was with the Amalekites and the Numb. Canaanites; before whom they were dif comfited; because they prefumed to make the Attack in a diforderly Manner; without Mofes and the Ark of the Covenant; and in direct Contradiction to an exprefs Command of God. But, fome time after, we ib. xxi. 2. find Ifrael vow'd a vow unto the LORD, and faid, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my band, then I will utterly deftroy their cities. And the LORD bearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly deftroyed them and their cities.

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After this they fought fuccessfully against Sibon King of the Amorites, and Og the King of Bahan: as also against the Moabites and the Midianites: And having paffed over the River Jordan, they befieg'd and took Jericho.

In a Word, the facred Memoirs reckon

up one and thirty Kings which Joshua and Josh, xii. the children of Ifrael fmote on this fide Jordan, and gave their Lands unto the Tribes of Ifrael for a poffeffion, according to their divifions. In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the fouth-country: the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites; the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebufites.

I, &c.

However, fome of these Nations were not totally destroy'd; but left to prove Ifrael Judg. iii. by; to know whether they would hearken to the commandments of the LORD. Add to these the Philistines, with whom they wag'd perpetual War during the Time of the Judges, and Saul; and who, having been defeated in four pitch'd Battles, were at laft utterly routed by David. Whofe firft Coming into the Army, from among the Sheepfolds, was aufpiciously crown'd with the Succefs, of vanquishing, in fingle Combat, their formidable Champion Goliah. But this, as well as most of their other fuccefsful En

gagements under the Conduct of the Judges, being more owing to the providential Arm of God, the never-failing Affistant of Virtue and Piety, than to human Prowess

and

2 Sam.iii.

1.

and Skill in the Science of War, I fhall for bear tranfcribing them, upon this Occafion.

We read that there was long war between the house of Saul, and the house of David; Ifbbofheth the Son of the former, by the ib. ii. 10. Strength of a mighty Party, reigning over

Ifrael two years, in Oppofition to the latter; who, all that while, had no other Adherents than the House of Judah. But God having given away the Kingdom from the Houfe of Saul to that of David, as had long before been declar'd by the Prophet Samuel; and all Obstacles being by degrees remov'd out of his Way; all the Tribes and Elders ib. v. 3. of Ifrael came to him to Hebron: And be made a league with them in Hebron, before the LORD; and they anointed David King over Ifrael.

David was victorious in all his Battles; and having fubdued the Nations round a-t bout him, left the Kingdom in profound Peace to his Son Solomon; who was wife enough to maintain and preserve it, in the fame Condition, all his Days; to fay nothing of his adorning and improving it with the advantageous Benefits of Commerce, and thofe Arts and Sciences which fo conftantly attend a folid and well-establish'd

Peace,

Peace, and are the almoft infallible Teft of its being fo.

After the Death of Solomon, the Kingdom's being divided in two, laid a Foundation for frequent Bickerings between the Kings of Judah and Ifrael; in which they harrafs'd and worried each other. But this was not all; by their prefumptuous Diso bedience they provok'd the LORD, to raise them up Enemies out of the mighty Nations of the Egyptians, Syrians, Affyrians, and Babylonians: Whereby Ifrael was finally carried away into Captivity, from which they never return'd; and Judah into one for seventy Years; as we have more fully declar'd already.

And the latter, after their Return, were again oppress'd by the Syrians; infested by the Samaritans; and oblig'd to contend with the Idumæans, and other Nations that border'd upon them. Of all whom, after a long Course of Troubles, they had no fooner got the better, than they began to fall out among themselves; and by that means, gave the Romans both a Handle and an Opportunity to reduce them under their Subjection. In which State they continued till their factious, stubborn Spirits,

laid thofe Conquerors of the World under a Neceffity of deftroying their City, Temple and Nation.

CONCLUSI O N.

3

To conclude. From this Review of the Bible, every ferious impartial Mind will be ready to allow, that there is nothing contain❜d in it deferving that Sneer and Contempt, with which raw and fhallow Thinkers are apt to treat it. As the oldeft Hiftory of the most ancient People, it is venerable upon account of its Antiquity. As it delineates the merciful Judgments of God, and abounds with all thofe Precepts of Morality which relate to the Duty of Man, it muft appear to be a facred and a divine Book to every unprejudiced Reader. And, to those who truly believe the Contents of it, and know by Faith how to apply them, it will ever be an inexhauftible Fountain of fpiritual Confolation: qua

T

Here, we see that God, of his infinite Goodness, created Man in a State of Innocence and Purity, and gave him to understand that nothing but his own wilful Difobedience could ever occafion his Ruin. That, Man, notwithstanding this fair Warn

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