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His Sabbaths; and we may hope, that the rising gene. ration will be a people acceptable to Him.

SECTION XXII.

THE DEATH OF MOSES.

From Deut. Chap. xxxiii. xxxiv.

AND Moses the man of God blessed Israel before his death *

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, and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh; and all the land of Judab, unto the utmost sea, and the south, and the plain': of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm-trees, unto Zoar. f

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.

So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

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.

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

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And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the

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See the blessings upon each tribe in Deut. xxxiii,

plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

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

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.

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

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

We have now gone through the PENTATEUCH, OF the five books written by Moses, called Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. They are exceedingly valuable to us on account of the important instruction they afford, the examples of faith and piety proposed to our imitation, and the wonderful proofs of the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, which, if properly considered, will incline us to love and fear: Him and they likewise contain, the only account to be depended on of the original of all things. The last chapter of Deuteronomy is supposed to have been writ ten by Joshua: whoever was the writer was certainly inspired by GoD, for no man knew the circumstances that are here related. Lest the people should offer divine worship to Moses after his death, the place of his burial was concealed.

Moses, though 120 years old, enjoyed perfect health and strength to the last, and the faculties of his mind were likewise unimpaired; yet he cheerfully obeyed the summons of the LORD, and ascended the mountain to die there. This is a convincing proof, that he looked for the performance of a better covenant in another world: for though we do not find in the BIBLE, that Moses was commissionea

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commissioned by GoD to make any promises to the people concerning everlasting happiness, they certainly understood the blessings of Canaan to be types or shadows of good things to come. Before his death, he pronounced a prophetic blessing on the people.

We have now brought the history of Moses to a conclusion; and surely no man ever led a more exemplary life. With what amiable meekness did he endure the hardships and toil of governing a discontented people! nothing could abate the ardor of his affection for his countrymen, or dishearten him in his endeavours to serve them. It was because his love for them was invincible, that he endured all their complaints and reproaches, with such persevering calmness, as to obtain. him this character, that he was věrý meek above all the * which He men that dwelt upon the face of the earth; who knew all hearts, even the SPIRIT of Truth, dictated Moses to write of himself, that the world might be made acquainted with what otherwise would never have been known.

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From the example of Moses, let us learn to cultivate that charity which is not easily provoked. To enable us to practise the virtue of meekness, it is not necessary that we should be possessed of distinguished abilities, or Every relation, every placed in an exalted station. situation in life, affords us sufficient opportunities for. the exercise of this temper. In the present state of human nature, we need not therefore be at a loss for occasions to exercise a meek and gentle temper; if we be properly under the influence of the principle of benevolence, we shall never want the inclination.

*Numbers xii. 3.

and

SECTION

SECTION XXXIII.

JOSHUA APPOINTED TO THE GOVERNMENT BY THE LORD, AND ACCEPTED BY THE PEOPLE.

From Joshua, Chap. i.

Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea, toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee,

Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them,

Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses, my servant, commanded thee; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

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Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed : for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals: for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.

And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD COMmanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land":

Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them:

Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sun rising.

And they answered Joshua saying, all that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go.

According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy GOD be with thee, as he was with Moses.

Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words, in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.

ANNOTATIONS

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