his dying lips, we may observe first, that the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, were blessed separately, and addressed as the heads of two tribes. See Gen. 48. 5, 22. Here we see that they have two separate allotments. Again we observe that though Manasseh was the first born son, Jacob purposely laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim; and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. See Gen. 48. 14, 20. Here it appears that the lot of Ephraim came forth first of the two. Again Jacob in his blessing speaks of Ephraim becoming a greater people than Manasseh. And we find that on both occasions of the tribes being numbered this proved to be the fact, and we therefore know that a more extensive territory was allotted on this occasion to the younger brother. Indeed we see provision made in the territory allotted, not only for the existing numbers of the tribe, but for the probability of a very large increase. Their border towards the east "came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan," the eastern boundary of Canaan; being the only lot, except perhaps that of Manasseh, which extended from the river to the sea: whilst from north to south it extended about as far as from east to west; comprising a portion nearly as large as that of Judah, in the very heart of the country. To the north of Ephraim lay the half tribe of Manasseh, extending almost all across the country, if not quite. See Ch. 17. And when we add to this the tract given to the other half of Manasseh, we see the fulfilment of the words of Jacob, "he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great." Gen. 48. 19. And having marked thus much of what Jacob said, and what Joshua allotted, we might refer in like manner to the general application of the prophetic words of Moses, in his blessing on the two tribes of the two sons of Joseph, taken together. See Deut. 33. 13-17. And we should see the fulfilment of the spirit of them all in the large extent of the allotment, and advantageous situation of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

Hence let us be led to reflect with thankfulness on the blessings which God has in prophecy promised to us. Let us be led to enjoy the full assurance of hope that we shall in God's due time partake of all of them. A land that knows no bounds, a happiness that has no limits, is the lot of our inheritance in the world which is to come. All the prophets whatsoever point to this. All the holy men who have ever spoken according as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, all who have ever helped to reveal to us the will of God, to prepare us for the revelation of his Gospel, or to declare it fully when revealed, all unite to testify, that man is made to be inheritor of a better world than this which now we dwell in, a world where we shall dwell with God. Are our hopes of that heaven faint? Let us meditate on prophecy fulfilled. Let us mark all that we can understand of its fulfilment. And this will greatly help us to conceive the certainty of that, which God has yet hereafter to fulfil.

The lot for the tribe of Manasseh.

and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.

16 And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth-shean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:

18 But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be

17 And Joshua spake unto the strong. LECTURE 391.

Of discontent, and of contentment.

Because the territory of Manasseh was adjoining to that of Ephraim, the children of Joseph seem to have thought, that they had "but one lot and one portion to inherit." This is the only case in which any thing approaching to discontent was expressed by any one of the tribes, on receiving their allotments. The answer of Joshua was a seasonable and forcible rebuke. He takes them at their word, and tells them, that if they were so numerous as they said, they would be the better able to clear the country of its woods, and to "drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong." It is indeed evident from the history, that the children of Joseph had at this very time received no less than three large allotments. For Machir the firstborn of Manasseh "had Gilead and Bashan." This was the half tribe on the other side Jordan. "There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families." And we have seen in the last chapter what an ample territory, in the very best situation, had been given to the tribe of Ephraim. And yet the children of Joseph were discontented. See how naturally they who have much are tempted to be covetous for more. See how unreasonably they who give way to covetousness expect that the claims of others should yield to theirs. Know that to have much is not enough, but to "be content with such things as ye have." Heb. 13. 5. Learn that in order to be contented it is well to use the ability which God has given you, and to provide as He would have you for yourselves. Indolence, and slothfulness, and indifference to the blessings which God puts within our reach, these must never be mistaken for the grace of true contentment. No, it is to work diligently, to desire to enjoy thankfully; and yet to be willing, if God wills it, to be disappointed. It is to acknowledge the large amount of what God gives us at the least, to feel how much more it is than we could reasonably expect, to turn it to the best account that it admits of; whilst we have it, to use it without abusing it; and if it be God's will that we should lose it, still to thank Him for having given it us at all.

The tabernacle set up at Shiloh. The land surveyed.

1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the gation there. And the land was subdued before them.

congre

2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.

3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you? 4 Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.

5 And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north.

6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God. 7 But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.

8 And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh.

9 And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.

LECTURE 392.

Of cultivating arts and sciences.

The Israelites were reminded frequently in the Law, that God would choose for Himself the place in which He would be worshipped, by the assembled congregation of the people. This place was still to be appointed, at the time when the men of Gibeon succeeded in making peace with Joshua by craft. For thus the sentence of their punishment is recorded: "And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose." Ch. 9. 27. There can therefore be no doubt that the tabernacle was set up in Shiloh by express directions from God. Indeed we learn no less than this from the words of the prophet Jeremiah: "Go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it, for the wickedness of my people Israel." Jer. 7. 12. The place then being chosen by the Lord, and the tabernacle set up, the whole service would henceforth be performed in order here, and here the whole Law set forth by Moses would henceforth be administered. Happy

were the families of the tribe of Ephraim, to have a place selected which lay within their borders. Happy were all they whose dwelling was at Shiloh, to have the Lord pitch his tabernacle in the midst of them. But how much happier are we, who, whatever be the place of our habitation, have God always dwelling amongst us; yea, whose bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost! See 1 Cor. 6. 19. The first point to be determined, after the removal of the camp from Gilgal to Shiloh, was the settlement of the remaining tribes in their proper territories. "There remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance." The words of Joshua reproving them, shew that they had been in no haste to have this matter settled; even though five tribes had been already provided for. This looked like an indifference to the blessings which God had promised to give them. And Joshua might therefore well reprove them for their sloth; since nothing can be more offensive than to slight a gift; nothing can shew less respect to God, whom we are most deeply bound to reverence, than not to care whether we attain unto the grace and glory, which He offers to bestow. We feel this in such gifts as we present ourselves; we feel anxious to have them valued; we feel hurt if we find that they are lightly esteemed. Oh how can we then so often manifest before men, much more before God who sees our hearts, that we heed not his precious gifts, that we are slack to go to possess the heaven, which He out of his great bounty has given us? The directions which are here set down for surveying the country, and the division of the whole "by cities, into seven parts, in a book," prove that there was no small amount of knowledge possessed in those early times, on a subject, which with all the helps of long established art still presents many difficulties. And the application of the art of surveying land, to the business of allotting the territories of the tribes, shews us, that God would by no means discountenance the improvement of our faculties, in such arts and sciences, as add to the comforts and conveniences of life. It is manifestly his design that we should enjoy with thankfulness the good things of earth; subject to those laws which He has impressed upon our nature, and to those commandments which He has given us in his Word. We do well then to study all the works of God, with which we are surrounded, not only with a view to magnify his power in making them, but also with a view to multiply our own enjoyments in using them. We do well to promote a taste for science and for art; not excepting such sciences, and such arts, as most directly tend to the increase and extension of our reasonable pleasures in this present life. But we do better, oh how infinitely better, to make progress in the science of eternity, in the art of holy living, and of happy dying; in the science of knowing God, and his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, in the art of loving Him, and serving Him, and living to his glory, and entering into his eternal rest.