natory additions, and enforced by the strongest and most pathetic exhortations to obedience. This was intended for the benefit of those who were born in the wilderness, and who consequently were not present at the giving of the law in Sinai. The inspired legislator, who in the preceding books had spoken of himself in the third person, here charges his style; dropping the character of an historian, he, in the most earnest and persuasive manner, immediately addresses himself to his people. The variations in expression, which are observable in the repetition of the law, have been considered as an intimation that the spirit of the law, rather than the letter, is that which is to be regarded.

As the people were now about to enter the promised land, and many of them had not witnessed the different transactions in the wilderness, the former generation having been all destroyed except Joshua and Caleb; to impress their hearts with a deep sense of their obligations to God, and to prepare them for the inheritance which God had prepared for them, Moses here repeats the principal occurrences of the forty years, now almost elapsed, shews them the absolute necessity of fearing, loving, and obeying God-confirms the whole law in the most solemn manner, with exceeding great and precious promises to them that keep it, and a denunciation of the most awful judgments against those who should break it-renews the covenant between God and the people-prophecies of things which should come to pass in the latter days-blesses each of the tribes prophetically, with the choicest spiritual and temporal blessings; and then, having viewed the whole extent of the land, from the top of Mount Nebo, or Pisgah, he yielded up the ghost, and was privately buried by God, leaving Joshua the son of Nun, for his

successor.

A considerable difficulty presents itself in the tenth chapter of this book, where verses 6-9. have not only no connection with the verses before and after them; but as they now stand in the present Hebrew Text, directly contradict that very text: nor have the two first of the verses in question, the least relation

* Dr. A. Clarke's Preface to Deuteronomy.

to the two last. As the discussion of this subject would occupy too much room in this place, the reader must be referred to the learned Kennicott,* who clearly shews the whole to be a transposition, probably from chap. ii., and corrects the present Hebrew Text from the Samaritan Pentateuch.

The book of Deuteronomy and the Epistle to the Hebrews contain the best comment on the nature, design, and use of the law: the former may be considered as an evangelical commentary on the four preceding books, in which the spiritual reference and signification of the different parts of the law are given, and given in such a manner as none could give, who had not a clear discovery of the glory which was to be revealed. It may safely be asserted, that very few parts of the Old Testament Scriptures can be read with greater profit by the genuine Christian than the book of Deuteronomy.†

In addition to several relative to the future state of the Jewish people, this book contains one striking prophecy, relative to THE MESSIAH‡ (chap. xviii. 15. 18, 19.), which is expressly applied to Jesus Christ, by Peter (Acts iii. 22, 23.), and by the proto-martyr, Stephen. (Acts vii. 37.) It has been well remarked, that the prophecies of Moses increase in number and clearness towards the close of his writings. As he approached the end of his life, he appears to have discerned futurity with more exactness. His denunciations concerning the future rewards and punishments, the success, dispersions, and desolations of his people; his prophetic blessings on the tribes; his description of the rapid victories of the Romans; of the miseries to be sustained by his besieged countrymen; and espe-cially his prophecies relative to their besieged condition, as

* Remarks, p. 74. The passage is cited by Dr. A. Clarke in loco. † Dr. A. Clarke's Preface to Deut.

Dr. Jortin has some valuable remarks upon the application of this prophecy to Jesus Christ, and also a judicious parallel between the Christian and Jewish Law-giver. Vide Remarks on Eccles. Hist. vol. i. pp. 200-228, edit. 1751.

accomplished under our own observation,* bear a striking evidence to the truth and inspiration of his writings, and fearfully illustrate the character of the divine attributes.†

The Jews divide this book into eleven paraschæ or larger sections, and twenty-seven siderim or smaller sections; in our Bibles it forms thirty-four chapters, which comprise four parts.

PART. I. A recapitulation of the transactions in the wilderness.

I. From the Israelites leaving Mount Horeb until their arrival at Kadesh....

....chap. i.

II. From the Israelites leaving Kadesh until their arrival at the country of the Amorites, with the defeat of Sihon their king..

..............chap. ii.

III. The conquest of Og, King of Bashan, with the divi

sion of his land, and that of Sihon, among the tribes of

Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh..chap. iii.

PART. II. An exhortation to obedience; with a repetition of the moral,
ceremonial, and judicial law, &c.

I. Moses exhorts the people to obedience, which he
enforces by promises and threatenings, and appoints
three cities of refuge on the east side of Jordan....chap. iv.
II. A repetition of the moral law; with an account of
God's giving it from the Mount and the effect upon
the people...............

.....chap. v.

III. An exposition of the first commandment, with an exhortation to love God.......

.....chap. vi.

IV. The people commanded to extirminate the Canaan

ites, and all vestiges of their idolatry............chap. vii.

V. Motives to obedience furnished by a review of past

mercies, as well as promises now given............ chap. viii—xi. VI. A repetition of some parts of the ceremonial law; with ordinances against false prophets and idolatrous cities; the election of judges, and administration of justice; a prohibition against planting groves near

the altar of God, and of setting up any image......chap. xii-xvi. VII. A repetition of sundry judicial laws; grand promise of the GREAT PROPHET; and covenant between Jehovah and the Israelites..

.chap. xvii. xxvi.

* See chap. xxviii. in which a chain of illustrious prophecies is delivered in one complicated denunciation, and various calamities are blended into one point of view. Vide Newton on the Prophecies, Diss. vii.

+ Vide Gray's Key, p. 123.

PART. III. contains directions for the confirmation of the law, &c.

I. The law to be written on stones and to be set up on
Mount Ebal......

.............chap. xxvii. 1—10.

II. Six of the tribes to stand on Mount Gerizim and bless
the obedient, and the other six to stand on Mount
Ebal and curse the disobedient,....
III. Blessings promised to the faithful-curses denounced
on the disobedient......

379

...chap. xxvii.. 11—26.

.chap.xxviii.

IV. A recital of the covenant between God and the
people-with promises of pardon to the penitent........chap. xxix, xxx.

PART. IV. The personal history of Moses, until his death.

1. The appointment of Joshua to succeed Moses; the
law delivered by Moses to the priests, to be laid up
in the ark, and to be publicly read every sabbatical
year;-a solemn charge given to Joshua ;—the
elders of the tribes, and officers, convened to hear the
historical and prophetical ode of Moses............chap. xxxi.
II. The song of Moses-he is commanded to go up to
Mount Nebo and view the promised land, not being
permitted to enter it.......

.....chap. xxxii.

III. The prophetic blessing of the twelve tribes........chap. xxxiii.
IV. Moses views the land from the top of Mount Nebo,
dies, and is privately buried by the Lord.-The Is-
raelites mourn for him thirty days.-Joshua succeeds
to the command of the people........

...............chap. xxxiv.

The following enumeration of the number of times each letter occurs in the Pentateuch, will be regarded by some as a matter of curiosity. It is taken from the Masorah, in which the Jews numbered all the words and letters in the Law, in order to prevent the addition or omission of a single letter, that the word of the Lord might be preserved in its original integrity.

Aleph N occurs 42377 times.

Beth n

38218

1.-CHRISTIANITY AND INFIDELITY contrasted in their Principles and Tendencies: a Sermon preached in the Low-Chapel, Alston (Cumberland), on Sunday, October, 6th 1822. By Jonathan Harper. Allison, Penrith. pp. 36. Price one shilling. 1823.

THOUGH single or local Sermons do not usually come under our notice, yet they may not be considered as undeserving attention, occasionally, when connected, like the present, so immediately with the character and claims of Holy Scripture. Besides, an opportunity may thus be taken for investigating the real literary competencies of those who presume to impugn the Bible testimony, and of observing that infidelity is commonly the result of ignorance or of prejudice. Indeed of all the abetters of deism it may be said in the language of Jeremiah (chap. viii. 9.):—

:

Behold, they have spurned at the word of Jehovah :
Therefore what wisdom is in them!

The occasion of the above Discourse, (on 2 Peter iii. 3, 4,) is thus stated by the author:-"An inhabitant of Alston, professedly an Infidel, committed suicide it was to attempt an improvement of this affecting event, by guarding the people against the danger of inbibing infidel sentiments, that the subject was brought forward in the Pulpit. Previous to the delivery of the Discourse, the author had not the most distant idea of its being committed to the press; but