gally be demanded. This is not ours to give, or to withhold. Tithes amongst ourselves were devoted by our ancestors to holy uses, not vowed so as to admit of redemption, but devoted to be "most holy to the Lord" for ever. It is well to pay them cheerfully. But let us not offer this payment of what is legally due to others, without adding a gift out of what is properly our own. Let us give for the support of ministers, both at home and abroad. Let us give for the supply of copies of the Scriptures, and of such books as help to the knowledge of the same. Let us give for the building, and enlarging, and advancing, the houses of God in the land. Let us give towards whatever tends to discountenance vice, and to uphold godliness. Let us give towards all that helps to edify them that believe, and to make known to them that know it not, the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Christ, in all quarters of the world, to the praise and the glory of his name. Grant heavenly Father that the study of thy holy law, as revealed by Moses, in the Old Testament, may inflame our hearts with fervent desire, to fulfil thy gracious will, as revealed by Christ in the Gospel. And the more sensibly we feel our inestimable privilege, in having been called to the knowledge of salvation, by Him, grant further, we beseech Thee, for his sake, that we may give more largely, and labour more diligently, to make it known as far as possible to all mankind! That there must be order and unity in the church. THE Israelites, as the chosen people of God, serve to shew us, like all his works, that He loves order and orderly arrangement. They had already once been numbered, before the tabernacle was reared, which took place on the first day of the first month, the second year from their deliverance out of Egypt. See Exod. 38. 25. and 40. 2. And that first numbering was enjoined with a view to the tax of half a shekel, which every Israelite was to pay towards the furniture of the tabernacle, and to make an atonement for their souls. See Exod. 30. 15. The second numbering, here appointed, was with a view to marshalling them the better in their camp, whether as they journeyed, or rested, or were engaged in battle with their enemies. On all these occasions, it was of importance that they should be accurately counted, and properly divided, and arranged in tribes, and families, each under its own head, or ruler, or prince. For thus would they best resist and put to flight their enemies, thus most speedily perform their journeys, thus most abundantly enjoy their rest. Under the Gospel we have no such accurate arrangement of tribes and families; for the Gospel is intended for all the nations of the earth, to be the rule of life of all mankind. But the Gospel inculcates order no less plainly than the Law. And the universal church, to be conformed to the will of Christ, and the pattern left by his apostles, must be like the camp of Israel in point of order, and unity with itself. Oh how easily, if ever time shall come, when agreement with each other, and subjection to authority, shall prevail amongst believers in Christ Jesus, how easily will our enemies be made to flee before us! how pleasantly shall we perform our pilgrimage on earth! how sweetly shall we enjoy the peace God gives us here, as an earnest of the rest which remains for us in heaven! The numbers of the several tribes. 5 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur. 6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 21 Those that were numbered 7 Of Judah; Nahshon the son of them, even of the tribe of of Amminadab. Reuben, were forty and six thou 8 Of Issachar; Nethaneel the sand and five hundred. son of Zuar. 9 Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon. 10 Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 11 Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni. 12 Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 13 Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran. 14 Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan. 16 These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel. 17 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names: 18 And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls. 19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai. 20 And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, 22 Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 23 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. 24 Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war ; 25 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty. 26 Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 27 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. 28 Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 29 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred. 30 Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 31 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred. 32 Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of 34 Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 35 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. LECTURE 236. Marvellous things accounted for by the power of God. In reflecting on the numbers of the children of Israel, here accurately counted. up and recorded for ever, we must be struck with their great increase since their settlement in Egypt. At the beginning of the book of Exodus we learn, that they were seventy souls, which came out of the loins of Jacob, and went down with him into Egypt, besides Joseph, who was there already. See Ex. 1. 5. And now within about two hundred years, each tribe has its tens of thousands, of men" twenty years old and upward," "able to go forth to war." This increase is so far beyond the rate, at which mankind commonly multiply, that many questions have been raised as to how it could take place, and many ingenious calculations have been made, to shew how it might possibly have happened. Such reasoning and research is not without its use, as tending to shew the means by which Almighty God brings to pass his gracious purposes. For the more we really know of the nature of things around us, we find ever the more reason to admire his skill, and power, and goodness; and we are the better prepared to find Him using means which we call natural, for compassing ends that are providential. But when the means appear to us inadequate to the end, the time too short, the multitude too numerous, it is enough for us to know that it is written in God's word. Every difficulty is easily accounted for, when we can answer, This is God's doing. He promised. And He has performed. He said it should be so. And so it was. For then in all these tens and thousands, thus orderly arrayed, we see no more than the sure fulfilment of the words spoken unto Jacob by the Lord: "I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation." Gen. 46. 3. The numbers of the tribes summed up. 36 Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 37 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred. 38 Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 39 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred. 40 Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 41 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred. 42 Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 43 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred. 44 These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers. 45 So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; 46 Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. 47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. 48 For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, 49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: 50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. 51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh' nigh shall be put to death. 52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. 53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath |