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thofe covenanters who joined with him at this time: They made a thorough feparation from thofe idolaters who worshipped the golden calf. When the fervice of God cannot be carried on in connection with backfliders, then perfons, who have a confcience, muft make a choice, Whether they will part with their duty, and a good confcience, or with their companions: And they are at no lofs what part to choose.

DISSER

ON THE

COVENANT BETWEEN GOD AND ISRAEL,

ON THE PLAINS OF MOAB.

DEUT. xxix. 10

15.

SEEING

EEING it seemed good to the Holy Ghost to defcribe,--The Parties of this Covenant.-The Parts of it.-The Occafions of it. -And, its Confirmations. We fhall dwell a little on each of thefe; and then fubjoin a few Reflections on the whole.

FIRST, We fhall attend into the PARTIES of this Covenant And Mofes was inftructed to make it with Ifrael,

1. IN the name of the LORD THEIR GOD: "That thou fhouldft enter into covenant with THE LORD THY GOD."

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2. THE other party is declared to be fuch as flood before the Lord that day, with the generations to come, reprefented by them. They are diftributed into the following claffes:

"Your CAPTAINS of your tribes *." So our tranflation has it. I find it otherwife rendered by Ainfworth: He tranflates it, "Your HEADS of your tribes †: And I find the fame term rendered HEADS in a parallel text: "And with you there fhall be a man of every tribe: every one HEAD of the houfe of his fathers." They are alfo ftyled PRINCES. Says a modern author, "Thefe Princes were chief captains, or generals, in time of war; and chief magiftrates in time of peace: Not unlike Peers of the realm, and Lords-Lieutenants of the county §." Thefe perfons were the higheft order in the civil state; but not too high to submit to God's yoke. "Your ELDERS." There is

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* Deut. xxix. 10.

See his tranflation, in his Annot. edit. 1639. Numb. i. 4. WN. In Numb. vii. 2. They are yled PRINCES. See Lowman on the civil government of the Hebrews, p. 74. Etiam Sigonium de Repub.

licb. Lib. VII. cap. v.

Deut. xxix. 10. pt. This order of perfons is frequently mentioned in Old Teftament hiftory. Abraham had an officer, who bore this defcription, in his family, Gen xxiv. 2. Our tranflation ftyles him, "The eldeft fervant in his family;" and not improperly. Pharaoh had a fervant of this kind likeways, Gen. 1. 7. There were not only domeftic, but alfo elders, belonging to larger focieties, whether cities or commonwealths.

of

more difficulty in this term than the former one. It was first intended to denote perfons of advanced age; but it is more frequently expreffive of an office, whether in family, church, or commonwealth. The Church was, by this time, changed from her domeftic to her congregational ftate: Hence, I am apt to conclude, that the term denotes both civil and ecclefiaftical rulers." Your OFFICERS As for the officers, they were (fays a modern author), according to the account given of them by Maimonides and the Rabbins, much like thofe whom the Ronan law calls OFFICI ALES, and EXECUTORES, and the New Testament OFFICERS, who attended the court, to keep the people in order, with a staff and a whip; and to execute the orders and decrees of the judges."--A fourth clafs are, “All the MEN of Ifrael:" That is, all the males which belonged unto the congregation, who were obliged to attend the celebration of the

Of the former fort we read, Deut. xxv. 8. of the latter, Gen. 1. 7. Numb. xxii. 4. 7. Wherever the Church of God obtained, there were elders both civil and ecclefiaftic: Ifrael, in particular, had an ecclefiaftic go vernment, diftinct from the ftate. For proof this, the reader may, in the mean time, confult Gillefpie's Aaron's Rod Bloffoming, Lib. I. chap. iii. Leidekker de Repub, Hebræor. Lib. II. cap. vii, viii.

.שטרים *

36, 37.

See JENNINGS Antiquities, Vol. I. p. The fubflance of which is taken from Fuller's Mifcellan. Lib. III. cap. xix. Johan, Nic. Not. in Sigon. Lib. VII. cap. vii.

folemn

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The males

folemn feafts. The males may be mentioned in this arrangement, as being next in dignity unto the former clafs.- "Your LITTLE ONES.". Thefe are fuch little ones as the males covenanted for, even as they covenanted for them at circumcifion; and as parents ftill covenant for their children at baptifm." Your WIVES." Females, even fuch as were married, and had hufbands to answer for them in civil things, were not exempted from this oath, as it was a religious one. Females have been exempted from oaths of allegiance, in all ages, and in all countries, unto civil rulers; but it was fit they fhould enter into this covenant not culy in regard of their perfonal intereft in it, but also as examples unto the Church in future times. This example was accordingly imitated in the days of Nehemiah; and deferves our imitation in fucceeding times.Another clafs of covenanters are, "Thy STRANGERS." Thefe ftrangers were probably profelytes; and had received circumcifion, the initiating feal of the Abrahamic covenant. Though these perfons were bond-men, yet they were free to enter into the Lord's covenant; though they were the lowest rank in the commonwealth, yet not below God's notice.

In one word, This covenant was made with fucceeding, as well as with the prefent generation: "Neither with you only do I make this covenant, and this oath: But with him that andeth here with us this day before the Lord

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