more ways of vengeance than he hath creatures. The same heaven, that sent forth water to the old world, fire to the Sodomites, lightning and thunderbolts to the Egyptians, sends out hail-stones to the Amorites. It is a good care how we may not anger God: it is a vain study how we may fly from his judgments, when we have angered him; if we could run out of the world, even there shall we find his revenges far greater.

Was it not miracle enough that God did brain their adversaries from heaven, but that the sun and moon must stand still in heaven? It is not enough that the Amorites fly, but that the greatest planets of heaven must stay their own course, to witness and wonder at the discomfiture. For him which gave them both being and motion to bid them stand still, it seems no difficulty, although the rareness would deserve admiration; but for a man to command the chief stars of heaven, by whose influence he liveth, as the Centurion would do his servant, Sun, stay in Gibeon, and moon, stand still in Ajalon, it is more than a wonder. It was not Joshua, but his faith that did this; not by way of precept, but of prayer; if I may not say, that the request of a faithful man (as we say of the great) commands. God's glory was that which Joshua aimed at: he knew that all the world must needs be witnesses of that, which the eye of the world stood still to see. Had he respected but the slaughter of the Amorites, he knew the hail-stones could do that alone: the sun needed not stand still to direct that cloud to persecute them; but the glory of the slaughter was sought by Joshua, that he might send that up, whence those hail-stones and that victory came. All the earth might see the sun and moon; all could not see the cloud of hail, which because of that heavy burthen flew but low. That all nations might know, the same hand commands both in earth, in the clouds, in heaven, Joshua now prays, that he, which disheartened his enemies upon earth, and smote them from the cloud, would stay the sun and moon in heaven. God never got himself so much honour by one day's work amongst the heathen; and when was it more fit than now, when five heathen kings are banded against him?

The sun and the moon were the ordinary gods of the world; and who would not but think, that their standing still but one hour should be the ruin of nature? And now all nations shall well see, that there is a higher than their highest; that their gods are but servants to the God whom themselves should serve, at whose pleasure both they and nature shall stand at once. If that God which meant to work this miracle had not raised up his thoughts to desire it, it had been a blameable presumption, which now is a faith worthy of admiration. To desire a miracle without cause is a tempting of God. O powerful God that can effect this! O power of faith that can obtain it! What is there that God cannot do? And what is there which God can do, that faith cannot do? Joshua r.

THE ALTAR OF THE REUBENITES. REUBEN and Gad were the first that had an inheritance assigned them; yet they must enjoy it last: so it falls out often in the heavenly Canaan; the first in title are last in possession. They had their lot assigned them beyond Jordan; which, though it were allotted them in peace, must be purchased with their war: that must be done for their brethren, which needed not be done for themselves they must yet still fight, and fight foremost; that, as they had the first patrimony, they might endure the first encounter.

I do not hear them say, This is our share; let us sit down, and enjoy it quietly; fight who will for the rest :" but when they knew their own portion, they leave wives and children to take possession, and march armed before their brethren, till they had conquered all Canaan.

Whether should we more commend, their courage, or their charity? Others were moved to fight with hope; they only with love: they could not win more, they might lose themselves; yet they will fight, both for that they had something, and that their brethren might have. Thankfulness and love can do more with God's children, than desire to merit, or necessity: no truc Israelite can, if he might choose, abide to sit still beyond Jordan, when all his brethren are in the field.

Now, when all this war of God was ended, and all Canaan is both won and divided, they return to their own; yet not till they were dismissed by Joshua: all the sweet attractives of their private love cannot hasten their peace. If heaven be never so sweet to us, yet may we not run from this earthly warfare, till our great captain shall please to discharge us. If these Reubenites had departed sooner, they had been recalled, if not as cowards, surely as fugitives; now, they are sent back with victory and blessing. How safe and happy it is, to attend both the call and the dispatch of God!

Being returned in peace to their home, their first care is, not for trophies, nor for houses, but for an altar to God; an altar, not for sacrifice, which had been abominable, but for a memorial what God they serve. The first care of true Israelites must be the safety of religion: the world, as it is inferior in worth, so must it be in respect: he never knew God aright, that can abide any competi tion with his Maker.

The rest of the tribes no sooner hear news of their new altar, but they gather to Shiloh to fight against them: they had scarce breathing from the Canaanitish war, and now they will go fight with their brethren: if their brethren will, as they suspected, turn idolaters, they cannot hold them any other than Canaanites. The Reubenites and their fellows had newly settled the rest of Israel in their possessions; and now ere they can be warm in their seats, Israel is up in arms to thrust them out of their own. The hatred of their suspected idolatry, makes them forget either their blood, or their benefits. Israel says, "These men were the first in our battles, and shall be the first in our revenge: they

fought well for us; we will try how they can fight for themselves. What if they were our champions! Their revolt from God hath lost them the thank of their former labours: their idolatry shall make them of brethren, adversaries; their own blood shall give handsel to their new altar." O noble and religious zeal of Israel! Who would think these men the sons of them, that danced about the molten calf? that consecrated an altar to that idol? Now they are ready to die or kill, rather than endure an altar without an idol. Every overture in matter of religion is worthy of suspicion, worthy of our speedy opposition. God looks for an early redress of the first beginnings of impiety. As in treasons or mutinies, wise statesmen find it safest to kill the serpent in the egg; so in motions of spiritual alterations, one spoonful of water will quench that fire at the first, which afterwards whole buckets cannot abate.

Yet do not these zealous Israelites run rashly and furiously upon their brethren; nor say, "What need we expostulate? The fact is clear what care we for words, when we see their altar? What can this mean, but either service to a false god, or division in the service of the true? There can be no excuse for so manifest a crime: why do we not rather think of punishment, than satisfaction?" But they send ere they go, and consult ere they execute. Phineas the son of Eleazar the priest, and ten princes, for every tribe one, are addressed both to inquire and dissuade; to inquire of the purpose of the fact; to dissuade from that which they imagined was purposed. Wisdom is a good guide to zeal, and only can keep it from running out into fury. If discretion do not hold in the reins, good intentions will both break their own necks and the riders'; yea, which is strange, without this, the zeal of God may lead us from God.

Not only wisdom but charity moved them to this message; for, grant they had been guilty, must they perish unwarned? Peaceable means must first be used to recal them, ere violence be sent to persecute them. The old rule of Israel hath been still to inquire of Abel. No good shepherd sends his dog to pull out the throat of his strayed sheep, but rather fetches it on his shoulders to the fold. Sudden cruelty stands not with religion: he which will not himself break the bruised reed, how will he allow us, either to bruise the whole, or to break the bruised, or to burn the broken?

I

Neither yet was here more charity in sending, than uncharitableness in the misconstruction. They begin with a challenge; and charge their brethren deeply with transgression, apostacy, rebellion. I know not how two contrary qualities fall into love it is not naturally suspicious, and yet many times suggests jealous fears' of those we affect. If these Israelites had not loved their brethren, they would never have sent so far to restrain them; they had never offered them part of their own patrimony: if they had not been", excessively jealous, they had not censured a doubtful action so sharply. They met at Shiloh, where the tabernacle was; but if they had consulted with the ark of God, they had saved both this labour and this challenge. This case seemed so plain, that Hicy

thought advice needless; their inconsiderateness therefore brands their brethren with crimes whereof they were innocent, and makes themselves the only offenders. In cases which are doubtful and uncertain, it is safe either to suspend the judgment, or to pass it in favour; otherwise, a plain breach of charity in us shall be worse than a questionable breach of justice in another.

Yet this little gleam of their uncharitable love began at themselves: if they had not feared their own judgments in the offence of Reuben, I know not whether they had been so vehement: the fearful revenges of their brethren's sin are still in their eye. The wickedness of Peor stretched not so far as the plague: Achan sinned, and Israel was beaten; therefore, by just induction, they argue, "Ye rebel to-day against the Lord; to-morrow will the Lord be wroth with all the congregation." They still tremble at the vengeance passed; and find it time to prevent their own punishment in punishing their brethren. God's proceedings have, then their right use, when they are both carefully remembered, and made patterns of what he may do.

Had these Reubenites been as hot in their answer, as the Israelites were in their charge, here had grown a bloody war out of mişprision; but now, their answer is mild and moderate, and such as well shewed, that though they were further from the ark, yet no less near to God. They thought in themselves, "This act of ours,, though it were well meant by us, yet might well be by interpretation scandalous: it is reason our mildness should give satisfaction. for that offence, which we have not prevented." Hereupon their answer was as pleasing, as their act was dangerous. Even in those actions, whereby an offence may be occasioned, though not given, charity binds us to clear both our own name and the conscience of others,

Little did the Israelites look for so good a ground of an action so suspicious. An altar without a sacrifice! an altar, and no tabernacle! an altar without a precept, and yet not against God! It is not safe to measure all men's actions by our own conceit; but rather to think there may be a further drift and warrant of their act, than we can attain to see.

By that time the Reubenites have commented upon their own work, it appears as justifiable, as before offensive. What wisdom and religion is found in that altar, which before shewed nothing but idolatry! This discourse of theirs is full both of reason and piety; We are severed by the river Jordan from the other tribes; perhaps, hereafter, our choice may exclude us from Israel: posterity may peradventure say, Jordan is the bounds of all natural Israelites; the streams whereof never gave way to those beyond the river if they had been ours, either in blood or religion, they would not have been sequestered in habitation, Doubtless therefore these men are the offspring of some strangers, which, by vicinity of abode, have gotten some tincture of our language, manners, religion; what have we to do with them, what have they to do with the tabernacle of God? Since therefore we may not ei

ther remove God's altar to us, or remove our patrimony to the altar, the pattern of the altar shall go with us, not for sacrifice, but for memorial; that both the posterity of the other Israelites may know we are no less derived from them than this altar from theirs, and that our posterity may know they pertain to that altar whereof this is the resemblance." There was no danger of the present; but posterity might both offer and receive prejudice, if this monu ment were not. It is a wise and holy care to prevent the dangers of ensuing times, and to settle religion upon the succeeding generations. As we affect to leave a perpetuity of our bodily issue, so much more to traduce piety with them. Do we not see good husbands set and plant those trees, whereof their grand-children shall receive the first fruit, and shade? Why are we less thrifty in leav ing true religion entire to our children's children? Jos. xxii.

EHUD AND EGLON.

As every man is guilty of his own sorrow, these Israelites bred mischief to themselves. It was their mercy that plagued them with those Canaanites, which their obedience should have rooted out. If foolish pity be a more humane sin, yet it is no less dangerous than cruelty: cruelty kills others, unjust pity kills ourselves. They had been lords alone of the promised land, if their commiseration had not over-swayed their justice; and now, their enemies are too cruel to them, in the just revenge of God, because they were too merciful.

That God, which in his revealed will had commanded all the Canaanites to the slaughter, yet secretly gives over Israel to a toleration of some Canaanites for their own punishment. He hath bidden us cleanse our hearts of all our corruptions; yet he will permit some of these thorns still in our sides, for exercise, for humiliation. If we could lay violent hands upon our sins, our souls should have peace; now, our indulgence costs us many stripes and many tears. What a continued circle is here of sins, judgments, repentance, deliverances! The conversation with idolaters taints them with sin; their sin draws on judgment; the smart of the judgment moves them to repentance; upon their repentance follows speedy deliverance; upon their peace and deliverance they sin again.

Othniel, Caleb's nephew, had rescued them from idolatry and servitude his life and their innocence and peace ended together. How powerful the presence of one good man is in a church or state, is best found in his loss. A man, that is at once eminent in place and goodness, is like a stake in a hedge; pull that up, and all the rest are but loose and rotten sticks, easily removed or like the pillar of a vaulted roof, which either supports or ruins the building.

Who would not think idolatry an absurd and unnatural sin? which, as it hath the fewest inducements, so had also the most direct inhibitions from God; and yet after all these warnings, Israel