riously difcovers his grace, in the manifeftation of his truth. He is that " Holy One" of God, with whom his Thummim and his Urim continually are k

It seems to be generally admitted, that this folemn inquiry was not to be made for a private perfon; but only for the king, the general of the army of Ifrael, or him on whom the charge of the congregation lay.

When any cafe occurred, in the management of their civil concerns, which had not been exprefsly provided for; they were bound to ask counfel of their Supreme Ruler. Thus it was with refpect to the fabbath-breaker. It had been previously declared by God, that every one who defiled the fabbath fhould be put to death', yet Mofes put the tranfgreffor in ward, till he should confult the LORD as to the manner of his death m. No particular law had been given with respect to daughters inheriting after their deceafed father. When, therefore, the daughters of Zelophehad applied for a poffeffion among their brethren, Mofes durft not decide according to the dictates of his own judgment; nor might he refer the matter to the tribes. He "brought their "caufe before the LORD "." Thus the temporal rulers of Ifrael had not authority to make even what may be called by-laws.

n

It was not enough that any, whom God appointed as his deputies, had received a portion of

k Deut. xxxiii. 8. · 1 Exod. xxxi. 14.; XXXV. 2. n Numb. xxvii. 1.-5.

the

m Numb. xv. 34, 35.

the Spirit. They were not therefore to truft to their own judgment; but in the management of Ifrael, in all difficult matters, to ask counfel of the LORD. Mofes, in profpect of his own death, entreated that the LORD would "fet a man over "the congregation, who might go out before them, "and go in before them, who might lead them "out, and bring them in; that the congregation "of the LORD might not be as fheep which have no fhepherd." The LORD answered "Take "thee Joshua the fon of Nun, a man in whom is "the Spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; and "fet him before Eleazar the prieft, and before "all the congregation and give him a charge "in their fight. And thou fhalt put fome of thine "honour upon him, that all the congregation

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may be obedient," literally, " may hear." But was Joshua to truft to his own judgment, or even to thofe gifts of the Spirit he had already received? No. In the whole of his public conduct, he was to act merely as the minifter of God, and therefore to wait for his inftructions:-" And he "fhall ftand before Eleazar the priest, who fhall "afk counsel for him, after the judgment of Urim "before the LORD: at his word," that is, at the word of the LORD, as delivered by Eleazar, "shall

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they go out, and at his word they fhall come "in, both he," Joshua himself, “ and all the chil“dren of Ifrael with him, even all the congregation "."

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o Numb. xxvii. 15.-21.

X 4

As

As Joshua, that is Jefus, typically bore the name of our Saviour; the former is here fet forth as an illustrious type of the latter in his work. As the true Shepherd of Ifrael, he makes all his fheep to hear his voice. He "leadeth them out; and "when he putteth them forth, he goeth before "them, and the fheep follow him. They go in "and out, and find pasture P." The Spirit of the LORD refted on him, that his Ifrael might obey him. He received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came fuch a voice

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to him from the excellent glory, This is my "beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; "hear ye him."

Joshua could do nothing without Eleazar; that wherein the type fell fhort in the one, it might be supplied in the other. Jefus is both the leader of Ifrael, and that Counsellor who alone knows the will of the Father. In the character of Mediator, he manages all the concerns of the Church, "as the Father gave him commandment:" and the word of the LORD, as declared by him, is the only rule of faith and duty to all her members.

The vicegerents of JEHOVAH, in the government of Ifrael, could make war or peace, only at his command. Hence Joshua and the princes of Ifrael are blamed for making peace with the Gibeonites without "afking counsel at the mouth "of the LORD."

Nor durft they engage in war without his exprefs commiffion. The Ifraelites

were

p John x. 3, 4. 9.

q 2 Pet. i. 16, 17. comp. Mat. xvii. 5.

John xiv. 31.

s Josh. ix. 14.

were fmitten before the Amalekites, because they went to battle without regard to the authority of their divine Sovereign'. When engaged in war, they were bound to ask counsel as to every battle, and the very fquadrons which were to go out. In the war against the Benjamites, we find their brethren inquiring; "Which of us fhall go up "first to the battle against the children of Benja"min?" They afterwards made this inquiry, "Shall I yet again go out to battle against the “children of Benjamin my brother, or fhall f "ceafe "?" Sometimes their Sovereign particularly fixed the day of battle; as when he informed the tribes that "to-morrow he would deliver "Benjamin into their hand." Nay, he occafionally preferibed the very. plan of attack. Thus, he ordered Joshua to "lay an ambush for the city" of Aiw. When he had rejected Saul, he would not give him any answer.

While the Ifraelites were in the wilderness, the Angel-JEHOVAH, who manifefted his prefence in the pillar of cloud and fire, directed them as to the whole of their courfe. To exprefs the unparalleled relation which God fuftained to this people, Mofes thus addreffes them: "The LORD thy God walketh in the midft of thy camp y." To Jofhua the Angel-JEHOVAH faid, "As cap"tain of the hoft of the LORD am I come "." Here we have a moft lively representation of the peculiar ftate, of the diftinguished privilege,

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and of the indifpenfable duty, of all the true Ifrael of God. His ancient people, as to their state, may especially be viewed both as fojourners and as warriors. It is the last of these characters which chiefly demands our attention here. Even in the wilderness, where the Ifraelites might feem fecure from attack, they were to live in a military ftyle. They pitched their tents in the form of a camp. The LORD was preparing them for a life of warfare. He calls his redeemed people to be foldiers. Mofes and Aaron were commanded to "take the fum of all the congregation of "Ifrael,with the number of their names, every "male by their poll: from twenty years old and

upward, all that were able to go forth to war." They were to "number them by their armies a." Here we have a pattern of the tender care exercifed by God with refpect to his beloved Ifrael. Not only their perfons, but "the very hairs of "their head are all numbered "." His ancient people were numbered by their armies. This points out the work allotted to all the fpiritual feed of Abraham. They are called to "fight the "good fight of faith." Only the males were numbered. For the Lord requires that we fhould all beftrong in the LORD, and in the power "of his might." Thus the church, in her travail, is reprefented as bringing forth a manchild. It is their diftinguifhed privilege, that they enjoy the perpetual prefence of the Angel of the Covenant. Whether his people are met to

a Numb. i. 2, 3. See Ainsw. on the place. c Rev. xii. 5.; Ifa. lxvi. 7.

1