22 Q. Did Joshua proceed to conquer the whole Country? A. The Ifraelites, under the Conduct of Joshua, went on 'till they had flain one and thirty Kings, and then the People refted from War for a Seafon, Joh. xi. 23. and xii. 24.

23Q. Where was the Tabernacle first set up after they came to Canaan? A. In Shiloh, in the Tribe of Ephraim, at fome Distance from Jerufalem, and there it tarried above three hundred Years, even till the Days of Samuel, Joh. xviii. 1. 1 Sam. i. 3.

24,Q. How came it to be fet up there? A. By the Appointment of God; for it is faid, He fet his Name firft in Shiloh, Jer. vii. 12. See Deut. xii. 5, &c.

25 Q. How was the Land of Canaan divided among the People? A. Reuben and Gad, and half the Tribe of Manasseh, had their Inheritance given them by Mofes on the other Side Jordan, and JoThua caft Lots for the reft of the Tribes before the Lord in Shiloh, Num. xxxii. Jofb. xiii. 7, 8. and xviii. 10.

26 Q. Did not the Tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half Manaffeh, go to help their Brethren in deftroying the Canaanites? A. Yes, by the Appointment of Mofes, they went over Jordan to affift their Brethren, till they were fettled in the Land, Num. xxxii. 16-33. and Joh. i. 12-18.

27 Q. What Memorial did thefe two Tribes and an half leave in the Land of Canaan, that they belonged to the Nation of Ifrael? A. They built a great Altar upon the Borders of Jordan, not for Sacrifice, but merely as a Memorial of their Intereft in the God of Ifrael, in the Tabernacle, and in the Worship thereof, Joh. xxii.

28 Q. Where was the Tribe of Levi difpofed of? A. Being devoted to the Services of the Tabernacle and Religion, they were not fixed in one Spot of Ground, but had a Share in the Inheritance of every Tribe, that they might teach every City the Laws of God, and their Duty, Joh. xxi. 3.

29 Q. What did Joshua do just before his Death? A. He fummoned the People together, and made a moft folemn Covenant with them, that they fhould ferve the Lord, Joh. xxii. and xxiv. 1—28.

30 Q. Did the Ifraelites go on to drive out the Inhabitants of Canaan after the Death of Joshua? A. Yes, by the Appointment of God, the Tribe of Judah went up againft Bezek, Judg. i. 1-4.

31 Q. What did the Ifraelites do to Adonibezek (or the King of Bezek) when they took him? A. They cut off his Thumbs and great Toes, Judg.

i. 6.

32 Q. What Remark did he make upon it? A. He confeffed the Juftice of God in this Punishment, for he had cut off the Thumbs and great Toes of threefcore and ten Kings, and made them gather Meat under his Table, ver. 7.

33 Q. Did the Ifraelites drive all the Canaanites out of the Land? A. No, for there were some left for feveral hundred Years after Joshua's Death: The Jebufites and the Philistines continued till the Days of David, 2 Sam. v. 6, 17.

34 Q. Why did not God affift Ifrael to drive them all out? A. Because Ifrael did not obey the Commands of God, and fome of the Canaanites were left to prove Ifrael, whether they would obey the Lord, and to be as Thorns in their Sides, to punifh them for their Sins, Job. xxiii, 12, 13. Judg. ii. 3, 21. and iii. 1—4.

35 Q. What were the most common Sins that Ifrael was guilty of after their Settlement in Canaan? A. They fell to Idolatry, or worshipping the Gods of the Nations round about them after Joshua was dead, and the Elders of the People of that Age that outlived Joshua, Judg. ii. 6, 7, 10—15.

SECT. II. Of the Government of ISRAEL. by Judges.

26Q WHO governed the People of Ifrael after Jofhua's Death? A. God was always the King and Ruler of Ifrael, and under him the feveral Tribes probably chose their own Judges, Magiftrates, and Officers, according to the Appointment of Mofes, Exod. xviii. Deut. i. 13. Job. xxiv. I. .

Note, Thefe Officers or Judges which were fet over the People by Mofes, at the Advice of Jethro, were at firft chofen by the People in their feveral Tribes, just after they came out of Egypt, Exod. xviii. Mofes fays to the People, Give ye wife Men, &c. Deut. i. 13..

The 70 or 72 Elders were the gravest and most venerable of these Officers, fix out of every Tribe; for God fays to Mofes, Gather to me feventy Men of the Elders of Ifrael, whom thou knoweft, to be Officers over them, Num. xi. 16. These were to meet together, and confult upon extraordinary Occafions, as when a fort of Sedition was raised by the Murmurings of the People, Num. xi. or in fuch like Cafes of Danger.

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The High-Prieft was the chief Counsellor, and fometimes a Judge, for the Oracle of God was with him, and he was fupposed to be chiefly, fkilled in the Law especially if he were an elderly Man.

The common Priefts and Levites were alfo Affiftants to the Judges, by way of Counfel, and in deciding Controverfies in every Tribe, Deut. xvii. 9-12. But ftill the executive Power was vefted in the Judges of each Tribe, and God himself was their King, and the Centre of Union and Government.

But when, through their Idolatry and Wickedness, God forfook the People, and Officers and Judges neglected their Duty, the People fuftained the Miferies and Confufions of an Anarchy, as 'tis feveral times expreffed in the Book of Judges, There was no King in Ifrael, and every one did what was right in his own Eyes. And by their Difunion and want of Government, they were weakened, and became an eafy Prey to their Enemies round about them: But at particular Seasons, God raised them up extraordinary Judges to recover them from Slavery, and to restore Government among them: And these had a Dominion over many, or all the Tribes, being raifed up eminently by God himself.

That this was the original and appointed Method of the Government of Ifrael, as I have defcribed it, we may learn partly from Deut. i. 13. where the Officers are chofen, and Deut. xvii. 8 12. and xix. 1618. where Mofes appoints the Bufinefs of the Priests and the Judges; and partly from 2 Chron. xvii. 79. and xix. 51. where Hezekiah makes a Reformation throughout the Land, and appoints the Judges to be Executors of Juftice, the Priefts and Levites to be the Teachers of the People, and Counfellors to the Judges, and the High-Prieft to be the chief Counsellor: And fometimes he was a Judge alfo, as was before intimated.

37 Q.Was not the High-Prieft their Ruler under God? A. The High-Prieft feems to be appointed by God and Mofes to be the chief Counfellor in declaring the Laws and Statutes of God,

as

as the other Priefts were alfo Counsellors: but the executive Power of Government was rather vested in those who were called Judges, whether they were ordinary or extraordinary, Deut. xvii. 9-12.

38 Q. Did thofe ordinary Officers do Justice, and maintain good Order in the Land after the Days of Jofhua? A. We have very little Account of them; but 'tis certain they did not fulfil their Duty, because there was fometimes great Wickednefs among the People without Reftraint: Much Idolatry and Mischief, both publick and private, and that for want of Government, Judg. xvii. 6. and xxi. 25.

39 Q. Why did God, the King of Ifrael, leave his People under thefe Inconveniencies? A. As they had forfaken God and his Laws, fo God feemed fometimes to have forfaken the Care of them, and given them up to the Confufions and Miferies which arife from want of Government for a Seafon; and alfo fuffered their Enemies on every Side to make Inroads upon them, and bring them into Slavery, Judg. ii. 11-15.

40Q. But did not the great God interpofe for their Deliverance? A. Sometimes, in the Course of his Providence, and by fpecial Inspiration, he raifed up extraordinary Judges to refcue them from the Hand of their Enemies, and to reftore Government among them, Judg. ii. 16-19.

41 Q. Who were fome of the most remarkable of thefe extraordinary Judges? A. Ehud and Shamgar, Deborah and Gideon, Jephthah and Sampfon, and Samuel.

42 Q. Who was Ehud? A. A Man of Benjamin, who delivered Ifrael from the Oppreffion of Eglon King of Moab, Judg. iii. 12, 15.