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governor, and professing their readiness to attack the mountains of the Amorites: but their day of grace was gone, and Moses discouraged them from the vain attempt. Yet trusting in the lenity they had so often experienced, they presumptuously persisted, although neither led by Moses nor the ark of the Covenant, which always went with them to battle, and were deservedly defeated; while the timid spies, which had been chiefly instrumental in the sad catastrophe, were all cut off by the plague.

The occurrences 1 have been relating, took place at a very early period of the migration of the Israelites. Time and correction had somewhat allayed their restless temper; and thirty-seven years had wasted away and swept off many of the principal offenders-when, encompassing the highlands of mount Seir, they found themselves bereft of the refreshing stream, which, like their tutelary cloud, had accompanied their devious way. Again the smothered flame of rebellion burst out-again they returned to their former accusation against Moses and Aaron—“ Ye have brought us to die in this wilderness!" The wisdom that had determined to make that people the monuments of his long-suffering mercy, again directed Moses to take Aaron, and, with his rod in his hand, to speak to the rock at Meribah, and, at his word, water should flow in the presence of the whole congregation.

Several scriptures concur in bestowing on Moses the appellation of the meekest of men. With unwearied patience he had firmly conducted his administration till this fatal moment, when he suffered one unhappy doubt to interrupt his duty. The Great Supreme had, perhaps, imparted to his miraculous rod an influence which he would fail to extend to his word: and instead of speaking to the

rock* as he had been commanded to do, he raised his arm and smote it twice! Water, indeed, flowed abundantly at the stroke; but his disobedience, and that of his brother, who had participated in his crime, received this reproof :66 Because ye believe me not, ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them!"

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In the first month of the fortieth year, they came, after seventeen encampments, to the wilderness of Zin, in the vicinity of the Edomites.

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CHARLES. I think you told us, mother, that mount Seir, the dwelling of Esau, was also called Edom.

MRS. M. I did. And because it was the possession of their brethren, the Israelites were not suffered to invade it, nor do them any injury. But the most convenient way to their place of destination being through that country, they sent a respectful request to the Edomites, that they might pass by the king's high-way, not touching their fields or their vineyards, or even drinking of their wells, without compensation.

CHARLES. Not drink of their wells !-surely water is cheap-who would refuse that to a traveller?

MRS. M. Very cheap to us. In our favourable climate all the luxuries of nature abound; but in the deserts of Arabia, a well is a treasure: and, perhaps, besides being rare, they contain so little water, that the supply of an army, and a multitude of cattle, might occasion great distress to the inhabitants. In the days of Abraham and Isaac, we know that wells of water were objects of strife

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*The Rock of Meribah of mount Sinai, is still seen, bearing the striking marks of a supernatural event. The holes and the channels of the miraculous stream are its indelible inscription.See Shaw's Travels.

between the herdsmen. Yet it seemed not likely that the Edomites would refuse the refreshment of water, and the use of the high-way to a nation descended from the same stock with themselves. They did, however, refuse; and the weary travellers were obliged to reach mount Hor, on the opposite border of the king of Edom's dominions, by a circuitous road. At mount Hor, Aaron died; and Eleazer, his son, was arrayed in the holy garments, and anointed in his stead. At Kadesh they had buried Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, who is called the prophetess.

After thirty days of mourning for their venerable high priest, the Israelites prosecuted their journey; but vexed and retarded, by the contiguous princes, when they imagined themselves almost on the threshold of the land of promise the reward of their sufferings;-although, after their defeat by the Amorites, successful in every contest, they once more relapsed into impatience," and spoke against God, and against Moses." Once more they were chastised a species of venomous reptile, by the historian called " fiery serpents," was sent among them, and died of the sting which was inflicted.

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FANNY. Mother, I cannot pardon this incorrigible people, so often forgiven, yet still offending-I am quite wearied of their obstinacy!

MRS. M. I am sensible, my dear, that the frequent recurrence of similar incidents is not calculated to entertain you but a few instances of the criminal distrust of the Israelites, were necessary to vindicate to you the justice of that decree which had gone out against them The remedy applied to their disease, in this last case, was especially designed to remind them, that neither the

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prayers of Moses, nor the sacrifices of their hands, were efficient. In answer to their repentant entreaty, we have sinned-pray unto the Lord for us !"-their intercessor was commanded to erect a serpent of brass, that those who were bitten might look on it with AN EYE OF FAITH and live!

CATHERINE.

If this method of cure had been the invention of Moses, we should say that it savoured of the magic of the Egyptians.

MRS. M. But we are happily saved from the irreverent suspicion, and sanctioned in our application of the figure, by the highest authority, even that of the antitype himself-"* And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted

up.”

The comparative ease and indolence in which the Israelites had passed so many years, was now to be relinquished for exertion and warfare. The princes, whose territories lay on the east of Canaan, could not see, without inquietude, the approach of a numerous people, of whom they had heard wonderful things. Two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, came out with their armies and attacked them they were completely vanquished, and their countries occupied by the victorious Israelites. Og is called the last of a race of giants, who, in earlier times, had inhabited the adjacent mountain. Such was his extraordinary size, that his bedstead of iron, nine cubits in length, and four cubits in breadth,† was laid up in the city of Rabbah as a curiosity. From him they captured" threescore walled cities, besides unwalled

* John, iii.

†Thirteen and a half feet in length, and six feet in breadth, English measure.-Burder.

towns a great many;" a circumstance which gives us some idea of the populousness and strength of the countries through which the Israelites had to pass.

From the defeat of the giant at a place called Edrei, the conquerors pursued their march and encamped in the plains of Moab. The Moabites were descended from Lot, the nephew of Abraham, and on that account were to be respected. But the prowess of Israel had spread universal terror, and the Moabites, disregarding the peaceable disposition manifested in their favour, determined to oppose their progress. Yet seeing that Sihon and Og had been as nothing in their hands, they did not dare to attack them openly. In conjunction, therefore, with the Midianites, they adopted the more efficient scheme, as they imagined, of destroying them by the mysterious influence of their incantations.

CHARLES. This was what the ancient heathens called devoting their enemies, before they went to battle.

MRS. M. For that purpose they sent messengers, men of considerable rank in their states, with presents in their hands, to invite Balaam, a magician, or soothsayer, from Peor, a city of Mesopotamia, to come and curse the invaders. Though Balaam was a heathen, he had some knowledge of the true God, and affected to suspend his determination, until he should consult "the Lord." next morning he informed the deputies that "the Lord" had refused to let him go with them; and with this answer they returned to Moab.

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A second embassy of princes, yet more honourable than the first, was despatched to the soothsayer, to beseech him to come, promising him wealth and dignity if he would curse this people. Finally, his avarice prevailing

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