might do so, with respect to the most depraved people, that perhaps ever existed; and that He might do this too in the most decisive manner; not bringing it about, as in ordinary cases, by a secret influence and tacit permission, but by a direct and manifest interposition; in order to establish more securely that nation, which was to be the depository of the true religion, and His instruments in subsequently introducing the Christian scheme, for which it was a necessary preparation.

The whole object and scope of the Divine economy must be considered, and not any one insulated portion only. And the nature and importance of the Gospel scheme required and justified a continued and manifest interposition, to prepare for and introduce it.

Hence this national punishment of the sinful Canaanites, “when their iniquity was full," and their crimes so incorrigible, as to justify the extremest rigour, is analogous to the general course of Providence, and forms no valid objection against the mercy of God, even though some innocent beings' must necessarily have suffered with the guilty; inasmuch

As to the alleged cruelty of "innocent babes suffering and being destroyed," which hath been strongly urged sometimes, this is no more than usually happens, as well in the ordinary course of things, when guilty or vicious parents entail misery and disease on their children, as also, on any dire visitation of God upon the inhabitants of the earth generally. And, as is observed above, God can and will rectify all things, and compensate short temporary suffering with eternal joys.

as He will assuredly rectify any individual cases of inequality at "the great day1."

II. The next inquiry is," Admitting the extermination of the Canaanites to have been deserved, is it credible that God would direct it to be done by the swords of the Jews; and thus sanction an alleged system of ferocious cruelty?"

Now, when an action is done in obedience to a clear and undoubted Divine command, it may altogether change the moral character of the action itself, from the motives and principles whereon it is founded.

As in the analogy of common life, when an individual takes away the life of an enemy that has wronged him, it constitutes the crime of murder; whereas, if

1 There are two opinions, each supported by authoritative names, on the subject of the extermination of the Canaanites, with respect to the extent thereof. The passage where the command occurs is Deuteronomy, chap. xx. from verse 10 to 18, and therein is a direction to "proclaim an offer of peace" when they came nigh a city; and if the offer were accepted, then the inhabitants thereof were to be spared, and to become tributary to the Israelites. Some interpret this passage as applicable to all the cities alike, against which the Israelites warred; whilst others think that the "Seven nations" were specially excluded from the offer, and that the sentence of utter extermination upon them was absolute. If the former be admitted, then the question seems to be, "Whether it be consistent with God's attributes so to punish a guilty nation, that refused to renounce idolatry and submit to His delegated ministers." If the latter and more rigorous one be chosen, then, "Whether it be reconcileable with His attributes to punish an incorrigible profligate race, when their iniquity was full, without further offers of mercy or probation."

death be inflicted by the minister of public justice, it is no longer a crime but a duty: so here, in the case of the Canaanites, the Jews were the ministers of God's justice, to execute His righteous sentence. Moreover, they were impelled to act thus, under the penalty of God's severe displeasure and punishment, if they neglected or relaxed in the smallest degree. Their condemnation to wander forty years in the wilderness, and other striking circumstances connected therewith, had convinced them of their total dependence upon Him, and of His strictness to punish any backwardness in executing His commands. Hence, feeling themselves under the direct control of Omnipotence, their conduct in exterminating the Canaanites could not possibly be imputed to a spirit of cruelty. Nor yet could it be to the thirst of plunder, nor to the indulgence of licentiousness, which too often are the most powerful stimulus amongst soldiery. For they were directed to destroy, not only all the inhabitants,-even the captives, however desirable they might be ;-but also all the spoil,—the sheep and oxen; in short, to burn the city, and all that was therein: only the vessels of silver, gold, brass, and iron, were to be "consecrated to the Lord," and brought into the treasury of the temple. And to impress upon them the necessity of punctual obedience still further; when even a single individual transgressed in this point, in secreting

some of the spoil to himself (Joshua vii. 13), the Divine protection hitherto vouchsafed was withdrawn; the Canaanites were permitted to prevail against them, till, by solemn inquisition, the criminal was detected, and burnt with fire: when victory again crowned the people of Jehovah, and their opponents were superna→ turally discomfited. Could they venture to dispute

the Divine command after such an instance as this?

It is plain, then, that the Jews would consider themselves as nothing more than mere instruments in God's hands. Neither avarice, nor licentiousness, nor cruelty, could prompt them under such circumstances. It was an abhorrence of the crime of idolatry in general, and not a hatred against individual persons, that was perpetually inculcated upon them. Idolatry, and all connected therewith, animate and inanimate, was to be destroyed. And to press this the more convincingly upon them, the same severity was to be exercised towards any of their own nation that should apostatize to idolatry. The Jew was commanded not to spare even the nearest and dearest relative, that was guilty of it. (See Part II. Chap. III.) The idolatrous Hebrew city, or Hebrew tribe, was to be totally exterminated.

Indeed, it seems to have been with reluctance that the Jews executed the Divine sentence; for when, in process of time, the terror of immediate punishment

was withdrawn, we know that they spared the remnant of the Canaanites; and, eventually, they even courted their alliance, and participated in their idolatry.

The peculiar severity, therefore, wherewith the Canaanites were punished by the sword of the Jews, seems to have been the only effectual method that could be adopted, to bring about that complete alienation and hostility in both parties, by which the people of God were to be severed and guarded from the impurities and idolatries of the nations into whose land they were introduced. With the strong tendency which they had to imitate the corruptions of idolatry, no other method, save the continued exertion of miraculous power, or the insulating of them, by rendering the surrounding country an absolute wilderness, could have prevented their total apostasy.

Moreover, this method was calculated to preserve their allegiance to Him, after miracles had ceased. The foundation of idolatry was the notion that the idol of each nation was the efficient guardian deity thereof. But the experience of the Jews had shewed Jehovah to be the One only True God and it also practically convinced them, that if they fell away, He could make man His instrument of punishing them, by permitting their enemies to prevail; and that no superiority of any kind would avail them, if they forsook the covenant of their God.

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