who obtain, and those who do not obtain salvation, is this: They may both feel equally the weakness of their nature, the existence and the power of evil propensities within them; but the former by praying with their whole heart and soul, and that perseveringly, for spiritual assistance, obtain it; and, by the aid so obtained, are enabled to withstand, and do, in fact, withstand, their evil propensities; the latter sink under them. I will not say that all are comprised under this description: for neither are all included in St. Paul's account of the matter, from which our discourse set out; but I think, that it represents the general condition of christians, as to their spiritual state, and that the greatest part of those, who read this discourse, will find, that they belong to one side or other of the alternative here stated.

SERMON XXIX.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THF CANAANITES.

JOSHUA X. 40.

"So Joshua smote all the country of the bills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded."

I HA

HAVE known serious and well disposed christians much affected with the accounts, which are delivered in the Old Testament, of the Jewish wars and dealings with the inhabitants of Canaan. From the Israelites first setting foot in that country, to their complete establishment in it, which takes up the whole book of Joshua and part of the book of

Judges,

Judges, we read, it must be confessed, of massacres and desolations unlike what are practiced now a days between nations at war, of cities and districts laid waste, of the inhabi tants being totally destroyed, and this, as it is alledged in the history, by the authority and command of Almighty God. Some have been induced to think such accounts incredible, inasmuch as such conduct could never, they say, be authorised by the good and merciful Governor of the universe.

I intend in the following discourse to consider this matter, so far as to shew, that these transactions were calculated for a beneficial purpose, and for the general advantage of mankind; and, being so calculated, were not inconsistent either with the justice of God, or with the usual proceedings of divine providence.

Now the first and chief thing to be observed is, that the nations of Canaan were destroyed for their wickedness. In proof of

Ye

his point, I produce the 18th chapter of Leviticus, the 24th and the following verses. Moses, in this chapter, after laying down prohibitions against brutal and abominable vices, proceeds in the 24th verse thus" Defile not yourselves in any of these things, for in all these the nations are defiled, which I cast out before you, and the land is defiled; therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you : for all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled, that the land vomit not you out also, when ye defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you, For whoso ever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from amongst their people. Therefore shall ye keep my ordinances that ye commit not any of these abominable customs, which

were

1

were committed before you; and that you defile not yourselves therein." Now the facts, disclosed in this passage, are for our present purpose extremely material and extremely sa tisfactory. First, the passage testifies the prin cipal point, namely, that the Canaanites were the wicked people we represent them to be; and that this point does not rest upon sup position, but upon proof: in particular, the following words contain an express assertion of the guilt of that people. "In all these the nations are defiled, which I cast out before you; for all these abominations have the men of the land done." Secondly, the form and turn of expresion seems to shew, that these detestable practices were general amongst them, and habitual: they are said to be abominable customs which were committed. Now the word custom is not applicable to a few single, or extraordinary instances, but to usage and to national character, which argues, that not only the practice, but the sense and notion, of morality was corrupted amongst them, or lost; and it is observable, that these practices, so far

from