we have the additional evidence of having seen them accomplished. Take, for instance, these words: "From the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him; lo the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations."-" Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel ?” "I shall see him, but not now- -I shall behold him, but not nigh-there shall come a Star* out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel."" And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable and said—Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be, that he perish for ever.

These particulars, with several others predicted by Balaam, are obviously fulfilled. The people of Israel have been, and still are, a very numerous nation-they dwell alone, that is, they are as completely distinct from all other people, at this day, as they were when they entered the land of Canaan. Even under the monarchs by whom they were subdued in later times, they always maintained a subordinate government, by their own peculiar laws.-They have never been "reckoned among the nations." Star has risen out of Jacob, and a sceptre from Israel.” And the Amalekites, although in the days of Moses they were the first of nations, have perished for ever—not a trace of them can be found on the face of the whole earth.

"A

The Midianites invited the Israelites to assist at the festive rites of their impious religion :---they fell into the snare---they ate of their sacrifices, and did homage to

* A star, in the Egyptian hieroglyphics, denoted a deityin the prophetic writings, a star and a sceptre denoted a prince or ruler.

their deities! Idolatry had always been punished; but at this critical juncture, on the eve of their entrance into a country entirely abandoned to such stupid practices, it was particularly necessary to mark it with signal abhorrence. Accordingly, twenty-four thousand of the principal offenders were cut off; and Phinehas, the son of Eleazer the priest, was rewarded for his pious resolution in executing the painful duty of putting to death, with his own hand, a prince of the house of Simeon, who was preeminently guilty, with the continuance of the priesthood in his family.

But the Midianites, who, had they kept quiet, might have possessed their country in security, were not with impunity to bring these evils on the unoffending Israelites.--Twelve thousand men, with Phinehas, and the ark of the Covenant, were sent against them: they were conquered--their cities were destroyed, and an immense spoil, in cattle, and goods of various sorts, was taken. Five kings, and Balaam, their counsellor, paid the price of their folly, in the loss of their lives in the battle. The spoil was divided between the victors and those who remained in the camp. A tribute from each went into the treasury; to which was added, an offering of gratitude, from the officers who went on the expedition; when they found, upon examining their troops, that not one had perished!

Whilst these efforts to frustrate the designs of Providence were in operation, the persevering leader of the Israelites, and Eleazer their priest, were preparing to pass the Jordan, the natural barrier between the plains of Moab and the land of promise.

Another census of the male population was taken, and found not to contain the name of one individual who had

been numbered in the wilderness of Sinai, save only Ca leb and Joshua, the faithful messengers. The sentence the ungrateful congregation had brought upon themselves, was now completely executed ;---they had fallen by disease, by the sword, and by fire, and Moses alone, their venerable chief, remained, of all that were involved in it! ---He, too, must soon be removed by death---and Joshua, a man of pre-eminent qualifications, was now pointed out as the captain who should succeed him.

CATHERINE. Pointed out by whom?-By Moses ? or was he elected by the people?

MRS. M. By neither. Very few things connected with the government of the Hebrews, either civil or religious, originated with themselves. All was the work of the Deity; and by him communicated immediately to Moses; who, notwithstanding he is called the legislator, was but the organ of the real Sovereign.

Moses might institute inferior regulations for present expedience, and select inferior magistrates to assist him; but every permament precept was promulgated with the imperative preface; "The Lord spake unto Moses, saying." Every important designation was "aecording to the word of the Lord," an idea so awful, so commanding, that we cannot withhold our respect from those who still sincerely adhere to them, and cannot believe with us, that the greater part are abolished.

66 a voice from the burnHoreb; and the same

Moses had been summoned by ing bush" at the foot of mount voice proceeded now from the "Seat of Mercy," commanded him to lay his hands on Joshua, and consecrate him in the sight of the whole assembly; and a gracious promise was added, that "a part of the spirit that

had rested on Moses should animate and direct his suc

cessor."

FANNY. As Moses and Joshua were directed in their whole conduct, step by step, I do not very well see, why they should have been enlightened in any unusual degree.

MRS. M. Although the very letter of the law was dictated to Moses, yet he had much need of an enlightened understanding in the management of his community. But it was the heart also, as well as the intellect, that was improved by Divine Grace; and no man was ever more imperiously required to "keep his heart with all diligence," than was this tried servant. You see, with all the aids he received, in one instance the weakness of his nature prevailed. The people, whose turbulent tempers had overcome the weakness of Moses, were indeed dead; but their children inherited their characters, and would demand of Joshua the continual exercise of resolution and constancy; of patience and integrity.

He was to be honoured in the performance of miracles as his predecessor had been. He was to drive out nations superior in numbers and strength, to dispossess them of their fields and fortified cities, and re-people them with his brethren.

Joshua was to divide the land of Canaan equally amongst them, giving to the larger tribes, the greater portion, and the smaller to the less. Their relative location by tribes was to be determined by lot; those only of Reuben aud Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh excepted. These last, having more numerous flocks than the others, requested of Moses the country taken from Og and Sihon,

because the grassy plain on the margin of the river seemed peculiarly adapted to cattle.

Their suit was at first received by Moses with much displeasure. Supposing it to be their intention to remain in security, while their brethren encountered the populous nations beyond the Jordan, he accused them of want of faith-of discouraging their brethren by their timidity, as their fathers had done at Kadesh, and thereby excluded themselves from the promised rest.

But Reuben and Gad disclaimed the selfish designthey would, they said, build folds for their cattle, and leave their wives and children in the conquered cities, while themselves would go over armed with their brethren, and not quit them, until they had obtained peaceable possession of their inheritance. To this condition Moses assented, and the two tribes, and half the tribe of Manasseh, were settled in the land of Gilead, from Mount Hermon on the north, to the river Arnon, the border of Moab, on the south.

FANNY. To live in cities, and pasture great multitudes of cattle, which it is evident the Israelites must have done, were it only for their sacrifices, is irreconcileable with our notions of things; it was certainly very inconvenient.

MRS. M. You are not to imagine the cities of the Israelites, either here or on the other side of the river, were large and confined like ours. They were villages rather, although they had walls, surrounded by their land, both for pasture and tillage. They went into the fields to their occupations in the day time, and returned into the city at night. Their simple habits required but few of the arts, and in those davs perhaps they had no artizans by profes