mourn for those whom, living, they opposed and reviled. What empty and insignificant things are worldly honour and contempt! Let us covet chiefly the testimony of a good conscience and the approbation of God; and if, living or dying, we have any influence with others, may it induce them to avoid what is amiss in our example, to follow what is good, and to glorify God in us!

-Destruction of Arad.- Fiery Serpents. - Destruc .10 ؤ

tion of Sihon and Og, and their Cities.-Encampment of Israel on the Banks of Jordan.-Balak and Balaam. - The Transgression and Plague of Baal-peor. The Israelites numbered. Joshua appointed as Moses' Successor.- War against the Midianites. - The Settlement of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh.-Laws given for the Division of the Land.- The Cities of the Levites ; and Cities of Refuge, Gerizim and Ehal. - Numb. xxi. . xxxvi.

Deut. ii. iii. iv. xix. xxvii. xxviii.

1452, 1451.

Before the people quitted mount Hor, the king of those Canaanites who inhabited the southern part of the country, knowing their intentions, and having heard of the visit of the spies, advanced against Israel as they approached his borders, attacked them in the wilderness, and took some prisoners, which elated him and discouraged them. This disadvantage, however, led the Israelites to take the right

course for future success. They cried unto the Lord, placed their reliance entirely on Him, and vowed to devote the cities and property of the assailants to utter destruction, if He should render them victorious; their persons being already thus devoted by God himself. In this confidence Israel advanced, and took and destroyed these cities, which were called Hormah, or utter destruction, intimating that none might ever build cities on the same ground. Notwithstanding the success with which they were thus favoured, and the many mercies that were continually heaped upon them, the Israelites again gave way to a murmuring and desponding spirit; their soul was much discouraged because of the way; probably on account of the length of way which they were compelled to go round by the ill-nature of Edom, which also perhaps proved heavy and rough. Water also was scarce,-and when a murmuring mood had come upon them, they began among other things to murmur at their daily supplies of manna, which they contemptuously called "light bread," as though that bread was not sufficiently nourishing which God himself provided and dispensed; which had sustained all their tribes in health and vigour for a period of nearly forty years, and which was indeed the only bread that most of them had ever tasted. Dissatisfaction with the condition allotted us by Providence is a great sin; that which God appoints, we may be sure is the very best we could possess; and when we desire to exchange it for any other, we prove our

folly no less than our rebellion. When the children of God do not cheerfully submit to his disposals, He sometimes causes them to smart severely for their folly. It was thus with the Israelites. They murmured, and said they should die in the wilderness; and God sent among them a dreadful scourge, by which many of them indeed died in the wilderness, not for want of bread and water, but of a disease which in all probability took away all appetite for food, and produced a thirst which water could not quench. This disease was occasioned by fiery serpents, which bit or stung many of the people to death. The wilderness through which they had passed abounded with these and other kind of serpents, (Deut. viii. 16.) but hitherto they had been wonder. fuily restrained from hurting the people, until they provoked God to send them among them as the instruments of his wrath. They soon then did dreadful execution, and spread still greater consternation. Amidst the agonies of disease and the desolations of death, the people acknowledged their sin, and entreated Moses, against whom they had so lately murmured, to supplicate for the removal of this dreadful scourge. Affliction often changes men's sentiments with respect to God's people, and teaches them to value the prayers of those whom before they had scorned. Moses readily complied, and Jehovah was graciously pleased to appoint a way of relief: Moses was commanded to make a resemblance of the malignant creature from whose venom