war in their gates; or, of supporting a standing army for defence against the inroads of their enemies. But now that you offer yourselves willingly to the Lord, and put away the strange gods which are among you, see whether you have any need of shield or spear against the most formidable and numerous hosts of foes, against the thousands and forty thousands of Canaan? No, JEHOVAH himself is your shield and buckler, he fights your battles. Heaven and earth combine to destroy the adversary, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera, the river Kishon swallows them up." its channel, the highways are no longer blocked up, and therefore no longer unoccupied. Place your thrones of judgment where you will, in the gate, in the highway, the communication is open, there is none to make you afraid, the enemies whom you have seen, you shall see them no more again for ever." Her next address seems to be made to the shepherds of the lately oppressed country. "They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water; there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, even the righteous acts towards the inhabitants of his villages in Israel; then "My heart is toward the governors of Is- shall the people of the Lord go down to the rael, that offered themselves willingly among gates." ." They are represented as trembling the people. Bless ye the Lord, Speak, ye at the sound of their own feet among the that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judg- pebbles of the brook, lest thereby they should ment and walk by the way. They that are awaken the attention of their rapacious masdelivered from the noise of archers in the ters; they are afraid to drive their flocks to places of drawing water; there shall they the watering place, lest they should expose rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, even themselves and their harmless fleecy charge, the righteous acts towards the inhabitants of to the cruel shafts of the archer, ever on the his villages in Israel; then shall the people watch to gall and annoy them. But now, of the Lord go down to the gates."* That there, even there, in the very scene of their we may enter into the true spirit of the sorrow and misery, where the rustling of a patriotic bard, let us suppose, what it is ap- leaf durst not be heard, they shall break out parent she has in view, namely, severally to together into singing; there, free from soraddress the various orders and descriptions row, free from fear, "shall they rehearse the of men, whereof the Israelitish state was righteous acts of the Lord, even the rightcomposed, and who had each a peculiar, as eous acts to the inhabitants of the villages well as a common interest, in the salvation in Israel." Finally, she calls upon the inwhich they celebrated. She begins with habitants of the villages, the husbandmen her companions in the warfare, who, roused and vine-dressers, to add their voices to the by her exhortations, and a sense of their swelling band, on recovering their tranquilcountry's wrongs, had cheerfully offered them-lity, on being restored to the felicity of laselves to this laborious and hazardous service. bouring for themselves, and saved from the My heart is toward the governors of Israel, mortification of seeing lazy, insolent stranthat offered themselves willingly among the gers devouring the fruit of their painful toil, people. Bless ye the Lord." They best and repairing, as before, in happier days, knew how little was due to human skill and to their own gates, to their own judges for valour, how much to the gracious and pow-justice and judgment. Thus we hear, as it erful interposition of Heaven; let them, therefore, lead the band, and ascribe unto Jehovah the glory due unto his name. She next turns to the civil governors and judges of the land, and invites them to continue the song. 'Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way." Such was the simple state in which the rulers of Israel travelled from place to place administering justice. The ideas, in her address to them, are tender and pathetic, and may be thus extended. "Alas! my as-in hope. sociates in government, it was but yesterday, that we were rulers without subjects, judges without a tribunal, and without authority: the lives and property of Israel were not secured and protected by law, but were at the disposal of a foreign lawless despot; and your progress through the land in the exercise of your high office, was checked and overa wed by a licensed banditti. Let us rejoice together, that government has reverted Judges v. 9-11. † Judges v. 9. Judges v. 10. 66 66 were, the tuneful choir gradually increasing in number, the peasant taking up the song which the shepherd had put into his mouth, the shepherd following the magistrate, the magistrate the soldier, till all Israel becomes one voice, one heart, one soul, to celebrate the high praises of God. Faint representation of that more glorious consummation, that purer triumph, that more auspicious day, that inexpressibly more important salvation, to which the believer in Christ Jesus looks The voice of this universal chorus having ceased, a solemn pause of some moments seems to ensue; when the divinely-inspired poetess awakes to new rapture; and the harmony of myriads of joyful voices subsides into the melody of one simple strain. “Awake, awake, Deborah awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam." What genuine touches of nature have we here, what † Judges v. 12. * Judges v. 11. 66 To set the divine sovereignty in a still stronger light, Deborah suggests, but not in the spirit of self-confidence, that when God did appear for his people, he did it, not by kindling martial ardour and resentment in manly bosoms, by putting the machine in motion in the usual way; but by creating a new thing in the earth; by endowing a woman with more than manly sagacity and resolu tion; by making a woman the life and soul of a sinking nation; that God himself might have the undivided praise. "The Lord made me have dominion over the mighty." Is it not somewhat remarkable, that Deborah is only once described as the wife of Lapidoth? whereas Barak is repeatedly, both in history and in song, brought forward as the son of such a father. Is it to mark the base degeneracy of Israel at this period? all mascu simplicity, what pathos, what sublimity! She the strength of Israel which God employed seems to regret her exhausted powers; her in crushing the "nobles" and pride of Caspirit is still willing; she cannot bear to cease naan, it was not by opposing force to force, so soon from so divine an employ; she starts skill to skill, that Providence decided the into fresh enthusiasm. Having put words of contest; but by a scattered, broken remainpraise into the mouths of a whole saved peo- der; but by a dispirited handful, that durst ple, she takes up her own peculiar strain; not trust themselves in the plain against the Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, enemy, but by an unarmed rabble whom Siutter a song:" And then, turning to the com- sera held in contempt, that Jehovah trampled panion of her victory, excites him to make a the glory of Jabin in the dust; as by a cake public display of the wonderful trophies of of barley bread rolling down upon a tent, and that wondrous day; "Arise, Barak, and lead levelling it with the ground. thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam." Exhibit them in chains, who had forged chains for the hands and feet of Israel; lead them captive, who led in captivity the free-born sons of God; show triumphantly the spoils of them that spoiled thee; "the prey taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive delivered" them that "oppressed thee fed with their own flesh, and drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine;" a righteous "God contending with them, who contended with thee." "Thou son of Abinoam." She rouses her noble colleague to excel in praise, as he had excelled in counsel and courage, by one of the most powerful motives of human conduct, the honour of his father's name and family. Let the names of Barak and Abinoam be transmitted, hand in hand, with respect, to the latest generations; let the world know that on Abinoam a gracious Pro-line virtue extinguished, and importance vidence conferred the distinguished honour of being the father of the father of his country. It is not ancestry, it is not country, that can bestow celebrity on a deedless name, on an idle or worthless character; it is illustrious virtue, it is superior wisdom, it is useful ability that confers nobility, true nobility on families, and celebrity on countries. Contending cities claim the honour of giving birth to Homer. Strip Athens of her renowned sons, and she sinks into a mass of rocks and sand. How would the heart of Abinoam glow with delight, as often as the sound of his name reached his ears, in connexion with that of a son whom a grateful country acknowledged, and celebrated with songs, as its saviour! In the 13th verse we see the low and reduced state of Israel again brought into view, to prepare for a fresh discovery of the power and goodness of God, and to exhibit in another point of light, the solidity, strength, and security of his church, "out of weakness made strong," "waxing," in a moment, " valiant in fight, turning to flight the armies of the aliens." "Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty." In two striking particulars, this gracious interposition of Heaven is emphatically pointed out. "He made him that remaineth to have dominion. It was not * Judges v. 13. sunk; the only trace of the existence of the man, that he was the husband of such a woman? The repetition of this relation, therefore, may have been omitted, because it would have reflected reiterated disgrace upon the one, without adding much to, perhaps somewhat detracting from, the glory of the other. Whereas the blazoning of a son's praise, instead of detracting from, is the most gratifying addition to, a father's honour. In the passage which follows, the prophetess goes with a poetical and prophetic enthu siasm into a detail of the distinguishing characters of the several tribes of Israel, according to the part which they had taken, or neglected to take, in the cause of their country, at this trying crisis, which at present I shall simply quote, with a single remark; and then conclude. "And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak; he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? for the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the seashore, and abode in his breaches. Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.”* This is the third Judges v. 15-18 time that prophetic inspiration has presented to resume our accustomed pursuits: If to us with the discriminating features of the sons of Israel, and of the tribes which descended from them, at three different periods, and in very different situations-Jacob on his dying bed, Moses on the wing to as cend mount Nebo, and Deborah on the defeat of Sisera. The comparative view of Israel, at these distant periods, seems to me a subject of curious, pleasant, and not useless disquisition, and I mean to devote the meditation of a particular evening to it. The season* arrests us now, and demands a series of reflections suited to winter, and change, and decay, and death. The past rushes upon our memory and affections in an impetuous tide. The future still presents the same impenetrable curtain to our eager eyes. We go on fondly planning; and after a thousand proofs of vanity, return to treasure up for ourselves vexation of spirit. But we shall be relieved at length, and ere long land on that shore where fear and hope are no longer. If permitted to enter on the commencement of another year, we shall endeavour to improve that kind indulgence, by endeavouring to suggest reflections suited to the occasion. If permitted to advance to a second sabbath in a new year, we shall attempt *The last day of the year. any, this be the last opportunity of the kind, the solemn farewell is now taken. And kind is that Providence which does not always let us know when we are saying "finally farewell;" which permits the bitterness of death to pass before we are sensible it is come. Wo, wo, wo, to the man who is punished with the foresight of the evil that is coming upon him. The exploits of a Deborah and a Barak now live only in the page of history: their song is now to be found only in a few measured words, whose rhythm is lost, whose sense is obscure, whose spirit is evaporated. But, my friends, we have this day been commemorating* an event which will never sink in oblivion, never spend its force, never lose its importance. We have this day been carrying on, keeping up the song, which the enraptured shepherds of Bethlehem caught two thousand years ago from a choir of the heavenly host, which is ever pleasing, ever new; let us again resume it, and teach it to our children. "Glory, glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men." "Blessing and honour, and glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever." Amen. Hallelujah! * In the participation of the Lord's supper. HISTORY OF DEBORAH. LECTURE XCI. They fought from heaven: the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon: O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.-JUDGES v. 20, 21. character; but human nature the same under every government, in every climate, under every sky. We behold regions, and periods, and nations rising into notice, into eminence, into importance, by the talents, the virtues, the address of one man, of one woman; and returning again to obscurity and insignificance, through a defect of wisdom, of public spirit, of exertion. In turning over the hallowed page of inspiration, and contemplating the various revolutions of human affairs which it unfolds, we seem transported to a superior region; we behold the earthly ball rolling round beneath our feet; we witness the birth, the progress, the dissolution of nations; we learn to correct the prejudices of education, and our narrowness of conception; we no longer ignorantly admire, nor superciliously despise The history of perhaps no nation exhibits our fellow-creatures; we adore the great such striking and instructive variety of chaFather and Lord of all, who "has of one racter and event, as that of the posterity of blood formed all nations of men to inhabit Abraham. It is interesting in itself, and it upon the face of the whole earth," and is closely connected with the general inter"whose kingdom ruleth over all." From ests of mankind. That people, through a that elevation, we observe with humble ac- dispersion of near two thousand years, have quiescence and holy joy, the designs of eter-preserved an existence. Hated, despised, nal Providence, maturing, and executing and persecuted by all other nations, they themselves; the individual passing away, remain unextirpated; a monument at once but the species permanent; states and king- of the vengeance and of the care of Heaven; doms changing their form, their spirit, their and no unequivocal intimations, from the oracles of truth, hold them up as the objects, in conjunction with those of Zebulun and of eternal Providence, in events of superior magnitude, yet to take place. We have followed the successive changes which they underwent, with successive emotions of astonishment, exultation, indignation, and sorrow. And we find them at the defeat of Sisera and his host, in a situation highly critical and interesting. The prophetess Deborah in this celebrated song, goes into a comparative delineation of the respective merit and demerit of the several tribes; and thereby enables us to estimate the particular character of each, at different eras of their political existence. Jacob on his death-bed, and Moses on the wing to depart in his valedictory address, present us with a similar opportunity; of which we are now to avail ourselves, in the twofold view of extending a little our pittance of knowledge of human nature, and increasing our admiration of, and dependence upon, the Divine Providence. In the dying benediction of Jacob, Judah, his fourth son, and the tribe which should spring from him make a most conspicuous figure. The spirit of prophecy employs every image expressive of power, greatness, plenteousness, and duration, to represent the future eminence and superiority of that tribe. In all the musters which were made of the people during the forty years, wandering in the wilderness, and in the distribution of place and station according to divine appointment, in their encampments and removals, we still find Judah excelling in number and strength, and occupying the post of honour. But Moses takes leave of that tribe, with a very slight degree of notice; and in the song of Deborah their name is not so much as mentioned, nor is any allusion made to any exploit of theirs, in celebrating the triumph of that eventful day. Indeed the spirit and pre-eminence of Judah seems to have been gradually on the decline, from the days of Caleb, who conquered and dispossessed the sons of Anak; till they were revived, maintained, and extended under David and Solomon. And for several centuries, we find this prerogative tribe, which was destined to the lasting honours of royalty and rule, sleeping in oblivion and unimportance, with the insignificant tribe of Simeon, which hardly ever achieved any action, or produced any personage worthy of being remembered. Of so much consequence is one man in a tribe, in a nation, in a world. But the person and tribe the most distinguished in the prophecy of Jacob, and the blessing of Moses, are also the most distinguished in this triumphant anthem. Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob, raised by the destination and interposition of high Heaven, to power and precedency over his elder brother. To the exertions of this branch of the house of Joseph, Naphtali, the victory now by the blessing of God obtained over the armies of Canaan was chiefly to be ascribed. The spirit of their father Joshua, dead in so many other of the tribes of Israel, is alive in them, and happily is propitious to the common cause. A severe censure of the conduct of the two tribes and a half beyond the river, is more than insinuated; it is brought directly forward. They are represented as totally lost to all public spirit, and wrapt up in cold selfishness and indifference. Jordan was a kind of defence to them from the Canaanitish foe, and the cries of their oppressed brethren beyond the river are drowned in the more interesting bleatings of their own flocks. The same spirit of selfishness is represented as pervading the tribes who inhabited the sea coasts, Dan and Asher, and who, subsisting by trade, and absorbed by the love of gain, steeled their hearts to the feelings of sympathy and humanity. Drawing their supplies from the ocean, they forget they have a country; and under the influence of one domineering lust, all the better claims of the human heart, are suppressed and silenced. They pursue their merchandize, as the others attended to their sheep-farms, regardless what their wretched countrymer meanwhile endured. "For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Why abodest thou among the sheep-folds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the seashore, and abode in his breaches."* Such is the general view of the state of Israel at this period, which the words of Deborah convey. The import of many of the expressions which the prophetess employs to convey her feelings on this occasion, we pretend not to understand or to explain. Is it any wonder that in a poetical composition upwards of three thousand years' old, in a language so little studied, referring to a history which the outline only is drawn, there should be many things difficult to be understood? This much is evident upon the face of it, that Israel at that unhappy period exhibited a spectacle, bearing but too near a resemblance to what our own times† have seen dreadfully realized. A whole host of foes, a world in arms, combined to work the downfall of a sinful devoted country. Internal discord, the extinction of public virtue, the dominion of barefaced iniquity-but, the arm of the Lord is revealed, and salvation is wrought. The picture which the poetess draws of the desperate state of Israelitish affairs is truly *Judges v. 15—17. America, and an armed neutrality. ness. affecting; and is a happy preparation for a dis- | many circumstances of the case, which the play of that unexpected and astonishing relief, conciseness of the sacred history enables us which had just turned their sorrow into glad- not to discover; that there is a singularity Judah lulled asleep in listless inaction, in the whole conduct and occasion of the bu without exertion, without existence; a fourth siness, which forbids it to be drawn into a part of the national force, on the other side precedent, and pleaded in ordinary cases as Jordan, careless, tending their flocks; ano- an example or an excuse, that we are to disther fourth devoted to their private traffic; the tinguish carefully betwixt the poetic ardour sword of judgment in the feeble hand of a fe- and enthusiasm of a female bard and patriot, male, confederated kings threatening their and the calm, unimpassioned praise and cenutter extirpation; enemies, numerous, "strong sure of sound reason, or the deliberate apand lively, and hating them with a cruel ha- probation of the God of truth, mercy, and jus tred;" what power can dissipate the gathered tice. We know certainly that God cannot storm? That power which says to the roar- love nor commend perfidy, cruelty, or revenge. ing ocean, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but But he justly may, and often does employ the no further, and here shall thy proud waves outrageous passions of one great offender to be stayed." "They fought from heaven: the punish those of another. And that through stars in their courses fought against Sisera."* ignorance, prejudice, or wilful misconception, Behold all nature engaged in the cause of Is- the wisest of men are very incompetent rael's God. The heavenly host first take up judges of the ways and works of the Althe quarrel; angels, legions of "angels that mighty. excel in strength:" "the least of whom could wield these elements." The most powerful and splendid parts of inanimate nature feel the alarm, and join their influence; "the stars in their courses." The earth quickly hears the heaven; the waters swell and rage; Kishon increased, most probably, by the recent dreadful tempest which had fallen from the air, rises suddenly upon them, and like the Red Sea of old, swallows up, as in a moment, the enemy and the avenger. The winding up of the sacred poem, suggests the most satisfactory apology for the conduct of Jael, and accounts at the same time for the warmth of the strains in which De. borah celebrates that conduct. It is the hor rid use which conquerors usually made of victory, to which I allude. The wretched females of the vanquished people fell a prey to the brutal lust of the victors. This was a case so common that "the mother of Sisera and her wise ladies" are represented as so There is a singular force and beauty in lost to feminine delicacy and compassion as the repetition of the name of the river, with remorselessly to exult in the thought of porthe edition of the epithet "ancient." It is tioning out the virgins of Israel to Sisera natural for men to value themselves on the and his soldiers, as the mere instruments of antiquity of their country, and its cities. It a brutal pleasure; as an article of horrid is the fond term which, in the honest pride booty for the lawless plunderer. "The and exultation of our hearts, we affix to our mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and own land; it seems to confer additional digni- cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot ty and importance; we associate in the idea, so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of the valour and success of former times; we his chariots? Her wise ladies answered her, feel our hearts attracted as to a common pa- yea, she returned answer to herself, Have they rent; filial affection and brotherly love re- not sped? have they not divided the prey, to vive at the sound. In the enthusiasm of every man a damsel or two? To Sisera a prey pious and poetical inspiration, she bestows of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of animation and passion on the flood; she re-needle-work, of divers colours of needle-work presents it as rising in pride and joy, and overflowing its banks, to serve the cause of ancient friends, lying under the rod of insolence and oppression. And the period pathetically closes, with the prophetess, in a single word, apostrophizing herself as the honoured, happy instrument of co-operating with intelligent and animated nature in trampling pride and cruelty into the dust. "O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength." I have already anticipated much of what I had to say, on the subject of the glowing eulogium which Deborah pronounces on the conduct of "Jael the wife of Heber." Permit me only to repeat, that in order to our fully adopting the sentiments of the Israelitish poetess, we must be acquainted with * Judges v. 20. on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?"* Now, may we not suppose both Jael and Deborah animated with a holy indignation against the intended violators of their sex's modesty and honour, and with a holy joy, on the defeat of their ungracious purpose? May we not innocently suppose a mixture of virtuous female spirit inspiring what the one acted and the other sung? Our pity for the fallen warrior, and his untimely, inglorious fate, must of course abate, when we consider that a righteous and merciful Providence, by whatever means, shortened a life, and stopped a career, which threatened the life, the virtue, the happiness of thousands. In personifying the character of Sisera's mother and her attendants, Deborah presents Judges v. 28-30 |