not l\llow ono foot of their land to be tnkcn from them l\<7ainHt his will how much more might the Jows, if obedient to the covenant, depend on °being preserve:! in theirs! If God gl\ve, who could take 11way? 2, It taught them to dislingui.~h thei,· commis.9ion to deslroy tlio Oanaanites from one of rude conquest. It leaches u.~ also to take f\ j, 1st estimate of tho~e acts of the Israelites in destroying the Canaanitish nations on which 60 much indignation hns been expended. 'fheir conduct here shows how far they wcrn from bcin~ 11ctunted by the motives often ascribed to them. Thi~ hi~h sense of honour, this scrupulous justice, this exemplary self-restraint prove thnt it was in no bloodthirsty, slaughter-loving spirit they were proceeding to their work; an,l show how at every step they were guided by God's will, fell in with the lines of his pro- vidence, and wrought out his wishes and purposes. 'fhey help us to conceive of the destruction of the Canaanites, not as n barbarous massacre, but as the execution of a long-delayed, deliberately pronounced, and most justly deserved sentence oi' Henven.-J. O. Vcrs. 10-13, 20-24.-The Emims, Hori·ms, Zamzummins, etc. If these verses nre part of the context of the original speech, and not a later insertion, they must be viewed as scraps of history inlroduced to encourage the Israelite8 in their work of conquest, and to dispel their apprehensions by showing what had been done by others. '!'hey suggest-,-- !. '!'HAT TIIE PRESENT MAY LEARN FROM THE PAST. History, sacred and seculnr, is a powerful influence in forming the characters of the living race. The brave deeds, the conquests, the self-sacrificing endurances of those who have lived before us, are of use to rouse from apathy, and to inspire with courage and enthusiasm. The early conquests of ihe gospel help us to believe in its power to overcome existing oppositions. II. THAT THE CHURCH MAY LEARN FROM THE WORLD. The holy nation is here incited by pointing to what other peoples have done in pursuit of their secular nmbi- tions. It' the Moabites could drive out the Emims, "a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims" (ver. 10), and if the Edomites and Ammonites could do the like in their respective districts, why should j~r1t"'1 ;;;;;,, the enemies to be encountered in his? We may learn.much from men of the world-from the boldness of their plans, their ingenuity in surmounting difficulties, their admirable perseverance, their self- denial in working out theit· ends, etc. ·were the Church half as diligent, wise, and determined in the prosecution of her work, as they are in making the schemes which they adopt succeed, it would be the inauguration of a day of splendid spiritual successes. III. 'l'HAT THE DESPONDING MAY LEARN FROM THE SUCCESSFUL. It is something to feel that we are not the first who have had to face giants. What has been done once can be done agnin, and it is a grent mntter to be able to point to cases in which the very difficulties we arc contending with have been successfully sur- monnted.-J. 0.
Vers. 14, 15.-Dying out. These thirty-eight years form a melancholy parenthesis in the history of Israel. A death-silence reigns in the narrative in regard. to them. 'l'he ninetieth Psalm is apparently a memorial of them-the dirge of Moses over the fallen. One or two incidents, and a few laws in Numbers may belong to this ptiriod; otherwise we have only these brief epitaph verses. As here described, they form a fitting image of godless existence generally- !. IN ITS WANT OF HISTORY, History is meant to preserve that which is of per- manent worth. '!'he unessential, the evanescent, are not held deserving of its record. Ilut from the spiritual standpoint there is no life of permanent worth but that which is lived in God and for his glory. Relntively to this world, the go~less man nm_y ha_ve a history; but relatively to eternity, he has lived to i:i,o ~nd which ensur_es his bemg held in remembrance. He will be forgotten, and his life be a blnnk rn the records which alone will interest II hcnvenly society. II. IN ITS ESSENTIAL UNPROFITADLENESS. 1. It is without proper purpose. Thnt thirty-eight years was one of purposeless existence. It had no right e?-d. Men might engage in various pursuits, but their existence ns n whole had lost its value. 'f~ey were there but to draw out their profitless dnys till death came to end the scene. 'Ihe gmlless man is in the same position-his e:.istence as a whole has no prupc" ~nd, and 40 'THE DOOK OF DEUTERONOMY.
he is mn,lc to foci this the more keenly the longer he lives. 2. It is without proper joy. 'l'lwrc could be no true joy in men's hearts during that wretched timo of waiting for the !!rn,·e. Is them any in the life of the world ling, or of any ungodly man? Ask TI.Hon, Goethe, Rousseau, or whoever else has given confessions on the subject, aeyd we will ueL•d no other witness. 3. It is wi1hout hope. For what is there to give it? III. IN ITS BEING srENT UNDER Goo's WRATH. 'l'hc feeling that it is so darkens lii'P, troubles r,rnsciencc, makes death terrible, and awakens frarful and well-founded presentiments of future cvil.-J. 0.
Y<'rs. 24, 25.-The e_ffects of Isi·ael's conquests. Would induce widespread dread nnd anguish. Apply to the Church. l. GBEAT \'IC'l'0RIBS OF THE CHURCH 'tl'OULD SPEEDILY GET NOISED ABROAD, Tha world has too m..ich lurking fear of the truth of Christianity not to be sensitive to such reports. They would~soou spread. They would find their way into circles little thouglit of. II~ GREAT '1CTORIES OF THE CnURCH WOULD BE THE SUREST TOKEN THAT Goo WAS WITH HER. \Vere there a return of Pentecostal days, and conversions by thou- fands at a time; or were there such revivals as the -Church has sometimes seen at special times and places ;-were ilicse becoming general, and multitudes were filled with the power of God's Spirit as the result-it would have a marvellous effect in producing widespread conviction that the religion of Cbrist was true, and tbat God's might was being exerted tbmugh it. It would be the best "evidence" of Christianity. Why should not the Cburch work, pray, and hope for such glorious successes? They are rossihle; they arc promised; they will yet come. III. GREAT ncTORIES OF THE CHURCH WOULD INSPIRE WIDESPREAD FEAR. Any- thing docs that which brings the Divine sensibly near to human beings (Luke v. 8). But sinners in particular fear any near manifestation of God. 'l'hey know, like the dc\·ils who besought Christ to let them alone, what that means for them. Ooe result of the conquests of the early Church was that "fear" fell on those who witnessed them (Acts ii. 43). The Church is never so safe as when she is bold, aggressive, and successfuL-J. 0.