LECTURE II. SECT. II. The conduct of the Jews, subsequent to the death of Joshua, is not inconsistent with the divine original of the Mosaic Law-Situation of the Jews under their judges, adapted to the purposes of the divine economy-Expediency of placing them in this situation-Severity of the punishment inflicted by Providence for their offences, no valid objection--Establishment of the kingly government a confirmation of the authenticity of the Pentateuch-Why desired by the people-Why permitted by God-Theocracy preserved under the kings— Illustrates the nature of the divine controul over the Jews -And of the Jewish character-Both shew the credibility of the Jewish idolatries, notwithstanding the divine original of the Mosaic Law-Separation of the ten tribes an apparent objection-Its origin-Idolatry of Solomon-Inference from it as to the idolatries of the Jews-Separation of the two kingdoms why expedient-How effected-Its natural tendency-Abused by Jeroboam-Even his conduct confirms the divine original of the Mosaic Law-Schism he introduces consistent with that belief-Gave occasion to manifest the divine Providence, in the history of the ten tribes-Effects of this separation on the two tribes-Instanced in the history of Abijah-Of Rehoboam-Of Asaof Hezekiah-General reflection on the providential government of the Jews-On the caution to be exercised in estimating the characters described in the Old Testament -And the effects of the Jewish scheme. PART III. LECT. II. SECT. II. IN the former section we noticed the strong impression which the divine interposition had made on those who were witnesses of them; insomuch, "That the people served the Lord "all the days of Joshua, and of the Elders "who outlived Joshua, who had seen the great works of the Lord." That this impression however should not be permanent enough, to preserve the Jews from corrupting their religion and their morals, by imitating the idolatries and vices of the Canaanites their neighbours, will not seem wonderful, if we consider that the Jews were, were, at this period, mere children in moral and religious conduct, as is most evident from the whole tenor of the Scripture narrative. They were very inattentive to the history of past transactions; so that many of the very next generation, after Joshua, "knew not," that is, they considered not, and therefore acted as if they had not known the wonders which God had wrought for Israel. The temptations to intermarry with their neighbours, and adopt their manners and worship, were too powerful for their unsteady and carnal minds: the beauty of the women of Canaan; the the pomp and gaiety of their festivals; the voluptuousness of their impure rites; the hope of gratifying their curiosity for prying into futurity, by idolatrous divinations; the overpowering fears impressed on their souls by idolatrous superstition; their anxiety to conciliate the favour of those divinities, who were represented to them, as the peculiar guardian gods of the country which they were newly settled in; these and other similar motives, adapted, if I may so speak, to childish understandings, childish feelings, and childish appetites, demanded demanded an immediate and strict discipline, to counteract their influence, and preserve, amidst this backsliding and unstable people, the main principles of religion and morality, notwithstanding notwithstanding their continual propensity to corrupt the purity of both; and we evidently perceive, that the system of divine government exercised over the Jews under their judges, was exactly adapted to their situation and their moral character; for the sacred history relates, that the Children of *"Israel dwelt amongst the Canaanites, "and took their daughters to be their wives, "and gave their daughters to their sons, "and served their gods, and did evil in the sight of the Lord; and the anger of the "Lord was kindled against them, and he "sold them into the hands of their ene"mies, as the Lord had said, and as he "had sworn unto them, and they were "greatly distressed and when they cried unto the Lord, he raised up judges; and "then the Lord was with the judge, and "delivered them out of the hands of their "enemies all the days of the judge: and * Joshua, iii. 6. 66 'it |