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and Poffeffions, was authorised by God himself, the righteous Judge of the World, in and by a long Train of moft confpicuous and public Miracles and Prophecies; fo that the Ifraelites could not be deceived in their divine Commission for this bloody Work. Nor is it liable to be made a Precedent, or a Pretence for any other Nation or Person to treat their Neighbours at this Rate, be they ever fo wicked, unless they can fhew fuch astonishing and undoubted Atteftations of a plain Commiffion from God, the righteous Governor of the World, and the fovereign Lord of all.

11 Q. What was the Name of the first City they took in Canaan?

A. Jericho, whofe Walls fell down, when by God's Appointment they founded Trumpets made of Ram's Horns, Joh. vi. 5. 20.

12 Q. What did they do when they took theCity ? A. By God's Command they devoted it as the Firft-fruits, to be a Sacrifice to the Lord, and therefore they burnt all the Goods in it, together with the City, as well as deftroyed all the Inhabitants, except Rahab the Harlot, and her Kindred, Joh. vi. 24, 25.

13Q. Why was Rahab fpared?

A. Becaufe fhe believed that God would give Ifrael the Land of Canaan, and fhe hid and faved the Spies whom Joshua fent, Job. ii. 9-14. and chap. vi. 25, 26. Heb. xi. 31.

14 Q. How did the Army of Ifrael fucceed againft the Men of Ai?

A. God fuffered Ifrael to be put to flight before the Men of Ai, because Achan an Ifraelite had ftole and hid fome of the Spoil of the City of Jericho, which was accurfed, and devoted to the Fire, Josh. vii. 5-9.

15Q How was the Anger of God appealed for this Crime?

4. They mourned humbly before God, they fought out the Perfon who had ftolen this accurfed Thing, and ftoned him and his Family to Death, Joh. vii. 6, 13, 14, 24.

16 Q. How did they take the City of Ai at last? 4. By counterfeiting a Flight, as on the former Day; and when the Men of Ai were drawn out of the City, the Ifraelites who lay in Ambush en tered and burnt it, Joh. viii. 13-29.

17 Q How did the Gibeonites deceive the People of Ifrael, and fave themselves from Death?

A. They fent Ambaffadors, with old Sacks upon their Affes, and old Garments and mouldy Bread, to prove that they came from a far Country; and the Men of ifrael rafhly made Peace with them, and fwore to it, fob. ix. 4-15.

18 Q. What did Jofhua do when he found that they dwelt in the midft of Canaan?

A. He let them live, because the Elders had fworn to them; but he made them Hewers of Wood, and Drawers of Water for the Congregation, and for the Altar of the Lord, ver. 27.

19 Q. How did Ifrael conquer the King of Jerufalem, with his four Allies?

A. God helped Ifrael, by cafting great Hailftones from Heaven upon their Enemies, Job. x. 10, 11. 20 Q. What remarkable Thing did Joshua do that Day?

A He bid the Sun and Moon stand still to lengthen out the Day for his Victory, and they obeyed him. Job. x. 12-14.

21 Q. What did Joshua do with the five Kings when he took them?

A. He called the Captains of Ifrael to fet their Feet on their Necks, and then he flew them, and

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hanged them up on five Trees before the Lord, Josh. x. 24, 26.

22 Q. Did Joshua proceed to conquer the whole Country?

A. The Ifraelites, under the Conduct of Joshua, went on till they had flain one and thirty Kings, and then the People refted from War for a Seafon, Job xi. 23. and chap. xii. 24.

23Q. Where was the Tabernacle first set up after they came to Canaan ?

A. In Shiloh, in the Tribe of Ephraim, at some Distance from Jerufalem; and there it tarried above. three hundred Years, even till the Days of Samuel, Fofb. xviii. 1. 1 Sam. i. 3.

24 Q. How came it to be fet up there?

A. By the Appointment of God; for it is faid, He fet his Name firft in Shiloh, Jer. vii. 12. See Deut. xii. 5-16.

25 Q. How was the Land of Canaan divided among the People?

A. Reuben, and Gad, and half the Tribe of Manaffeh, had their Inheritance given them by Moses on the other Side Jordan; and Jofhua caft Lots for the rest of the Tribes before the Lord in Shiloh, Numb. xxxii. Joh. xiii. 7, 8. and ch, xviii. 10.

26 Q. Did not the Tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half Manaffeh, go to help their Brethren in deftroying the Canaanites?

A. Yes; by the Appointment of Mofes, they went over Jordan to affift their Brethren, till they were fettled in the Land, Numb. xxxii. 16-33. and fob i. 12-18.

27 Q. What Memorial did these two Tribes and an half leave in the Land of Canaan, that they belonged to the Nation of Ifrael?

A. They built a great Altar upon the Borders

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of Jordan, not for Sacrifice, but merely as a Memorial of their Intereft in the God of Ifrael, in the Tabernacle, and in the Worship thereof, J.xxii. 28 Q. Where was the Tribe of Levi difpofed of?

A. Being devoted to the Service of the Tabernacle and Religion, they were not fixed in one Spot of Ground, but had a Share in the Inherit, ance of every Tribe, that they might teach every City the Laws of God, and their Duty, Joh. xxi. 3.

29 Q. What did Jofhua do juft before his Death? A. He fummoned the People together, and made a most folemn Covenant with them, that they fhould ferve the Lord, Joh. xxiii. and xxiv. 1-28.

30 Q Did the Ifraelites go on to drive out the Inhabitants of Canaan after the Death of Joshua ? A. Yes, by the Appointment of God, the Tribe of Judah went up against Bezek, Judges i. 1-4. 31 Q. What did the Ifraelites do to Adonibezek (or the King of Bezek) when they took him? A. They cut off his Thumbs and great Toes, Judges i, 6.

32 Q. What Remark did he make upon it? A. He confeffed the Juftice of God in this Punishment, for he had cut off the Thumbs and great Toes of threefcore and ten Kings, and made them gather Meat under his Table, ver. 7.

33Q Did the Ifraelites drive all the Canaanites out of the Land?

A. No, for there were fome left for feveral hundred Years after Jofhua's Death: The Jebufites and the Philiftines continued till the Days of David, 2 Sam v. 6, 17.

34 Q. Why did not God affift Ifrael to drive them all out?

A. Because Ifrael did not obey the Commands of God, and fome of the Canaanites were left to prove Ifrael, whether they would obey the Lord,

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and to be as Thorns in their Sides, to punish them for their Sins, Joh. xxiii. 12, 13. Judges ii. 3, 21. and chap. iii. 1-4.

35 Q. What were the most common Sins that Ifrael was guilty of after their Settlement in Canaan?

A. They fell to Idolatry, or worshipping the Gods of the Nations round about them, after Joshua was dead, and the Elders of the People of that Age that outlived Joshua, Judges ii. 6, 7, 10-15. SECT. II. Of the Government of Ifrael by JUDGES. 36 Q. WHO governed the People of Ifrael` after Jofhua's Death?

A. God was always the King and Ruler of Ifrael, and under him the feveral Tribes probably chofe their own Judges, Magiftrates and Officers, according to the Appointment of Mofes, Exod. xviii. Deut. i. 13. Josh xxiv. 1.

Note, Thefe Officers or Judges, which were fet over the People by Mofes, at the Advice of Jethro, were at firft chofen by the People in their feveral Tribes, juft after they came out of Egypt, Exod. xviii. Mofes fays to the People, Take ye wife Men, &c. Deut. i. 13.

The Seventy or Seventy-two Elders were the graveft and most venerable of thefe Officers, fix out of every Tribe; for God fays to Mofes, Gather to me Seventy Men of the Elders of Ifrael, whom thou knoweft, to be Officers over them, Numb. xi. 16. These were to meet together, and confult upon extraordinary Occafions, as when a Sort of Sedition was raised by the Murmurings of the People, Numb. xi. or in fuch like Cafes of Danger.

The High Priest was the chief Counsellor, and fometimes a Judge; for the Oracle of God was with him, and he was fuppofed to be chiefly skilled in the Law, efpecially if he were an elderly Man. The common Priests and Levites were alfo Affiftants to the Judges, by way of Counsel, and in deciding

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