The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca
The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca
pO&ERMONS.At Jericho, the Ifraelites met with a very cheapovictory, and probably they expedled a continuance offuch rapid fuccefs ; but, in the providence of God, acheck IS given to their fanguine expectations, occafionedby a daring fin w^hich had been committed.It is this incident with which the chapter opens.** But the children of Ifrael committed a trefpafs inthe accurfed thing : for Achan the fon of Carmi, theion of Zabdi, the fon of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah,took of the accurfed thing, and the anger of the Lordwas kindled againffc the children of Ifrael." A proclamationhad been iflued in the camp, warning everyperfon againft touching the fpoils of Jericho, underpain of death, and yet the children of Ifrael, that is,one of the children of Ifrael, had committed a trefpafsin the accurfed thing-, for it was at colletlingt'le fpoils of Jericho that thb had been done. Accurfed,when applied to living creatures, men, oxen,iheep, cr afles,fignifies, that they are t^ bs violentlyput to death, by being iloned or ilrangled, and thenburnt with iire ; but when filveri gold, brafs, ixon,are faid to be accurfed, the meaning is,that they areconfecrated to God for tlie-maintenance of his priefts,or the fupport of ciril government. Achan's fin w^astherefore facrilege*, it v/as flealing or purloining God'sproperty; and, confidering the circumliances in whichthe Ifraelites were at this time, it was extremely properthat fuch a charge about the accurfed thing fliouldbe given, chiefly, I think, for two reafons : ifl. Toteach the army fubordinatien and obedience to theorders of their general. It is well known, that whena battle is gained, or a city taken, it is diflicult to retrainthe foldiers but a little from the plunder ; andmany a viftory, half-gained, hath been totally loft,becaufe the army began too foon to feize upon thebaggage or the fpoil. 2d, Becaufe money was to b«.jKrcunaulated for public ufes.Jericho was a rich city;ihe filver and gold found in it were to come into the
SERMONS.crVtreafury of the Lord , and if any perfon fliould dareto intermeddle with the accurfed thing, the fpoils ofthis city, which was firft to be taken, the immediate,the public, and dreadful punifliment to be inflicted onhim,would in future terrify every perfon from the likepurloining and facrilege. Hence it was, that Godlaw proper to mention particularly the feveral aggravatingcircumftances of Achan's fin, aswe fhali feein the i ith and I2th verfes.Before Jofhua had any apprehenfion that Achanhadtaken of the accurfed thing, being intent to carryon the war with all prudent expedition, he difpatchedfome of his officers to infpecl the ftrength of the citywhich he intended next to affault. " And the menwent and viewed Ai. And they returned to Jofhua,and faid unto him, Let not all the people go up, butlet about two or three thoufand men go up and fmite^Ai ;' for they are but few. So there went up aboutthree thoufand men, and they fled before the men ofAi. And the men of Ai fmote about thirty-fix men;,for they chafed them from before the gate, and fmotethsm in the going down ; wherefore the hearts of the,pfeople melted, and became as water."^ There were but twelve thoufand, men, women, andchildren,in the town of Ai j and one would thinkthat three thoufand foldiers, efpecially when aflured'beforehand of being aflifted by the captain of theLord's hoft, was a fuflicient number to cope with allthe fighting men that could h^ there; bu.t the Ifraeliteswere courageous before, and they are now timid.Hath not every thinking perfon obferved, that at differenttimes the fame man is extremely different fromhimfelf ? Sometimes the fcholar can think, can fludy,can compofe ; at another time he can fix his attentionon no fubje
- Page 48 and 49: 40 SERMO>iS.prove the mliiJ, enlarg
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- Page 54 and 55: 4^- SERMONS.If you lay before your
- Page 56 and 57: 4BSERMONS.regarded : but when any o
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- Page 63 and 64: SfUMONS.pTofperous, and, to a confi
- Page 65 and 66: SERMONS.to have her to wife. Old Ha
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- Page 69 and 70: SERMONS. 61uudd the houfe of the Lo
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- Page 77 and 78: SERMONS. 69was received and heard,
- Page 79 and 80: SERMONS. 7£for, when a mob Is once
- Page 81 and 82: SERMONS. 75•tubes who had not joi
- Page 83 and 84: SE'RMONSr. 75Benjamin. The king, it
- Page 85 and 86: SERMONS.have I alio left you in thS
- Page 87 and 88: SERMONS. 79from Relioboani :" Thy f
- Page 89 and 90: SERMONSceed from nothing but vile a
- Page 91 and 92: SEPvMONS. 83ly of heart, and ye fli
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- Page 113 and 114: SERMO^fS. 105celTarily, ?t leaft pr
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- Page 117 and 118: SERMONS.-^C^ftatefman who gave the
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- Page 121 and 122: SERMOKS. 113rnies ; for the Canaani
- Page 123 and 124: SERMON-S-. 115was or could well be
- Page 125 and 126: 'SERMON'5. 117ful combined kingdoms
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- Page 143 and 144: what he hath done.SERMONS.if the "C
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pO&ERMONS.At Jericho, <strong>the</strong> Ifraelites met with a very cheapovictory, and probably <strong>the</strong>y expedled a continuance <strong>of</strong>fuch rapid fuccefs ; but, in <strong>the</strong> providence <strong>of</strong> God, acheck IS given to <strong>the</strong>ir fanguine expectations, oc<strong>ca</strong>fionedby a daring fin w^hich had been committed.It is this incident with which <strong>the</strong> chapter opens.** But <strong>the</strong> children <strong>of</strong> Ifrael committed a trefpafs in<strong>the</strong> accurfed thing : for Achan <strong>the</strong> fon <strong>of</strong> Carmi, <strong>the</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> Zabdi, <strong>the</strong> fon <strong>of</strong> Zerah, <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tribe <strong>of</strong> Judah,took <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> accurfed thing, and <strong>the</strong> anger <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Lordwas kindled againffc <strong>the</strong> children <strong>of</strong> Ifrael." A proclamationhad been iflued in <strong>the</strong> <strong>ca</strong>mp, warning everyperfon againft touching <strong>the</strong> fpoils <strong>of</strong> Jericho, underpain <strong>of</strong> death, and yet <strong>the</strong> children <strong>of</strong> Ifrael, that is,one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> children <strong>of</strong> Ifrael, had committed a trefpafsin <strong>the</strong> accurfed thing-, for it was at colletlingt'le fpoils <strong>of</strong> Jericho that thb had been done. Accurfed,when applied to living creatures, men, oxen,iheep, cr afles,fignifies, that <strong>the</strong>y are t^ bs violentlyput to death, by being iloned or ilrangled, and <strong>the</strong>nburnt with iire ; but when filveri gold, brafs, ixon,are faid to be accurfed, <strong>the</strong> meaning is,that <strong>the</strong>y areconfecrated to God for tlie-maintenance <strong>of</strong> his priefts,or <strong>the</strong> fupport <strong>of</strong> ciril government. Achan's fin w^as<strong>the</strong>refore facrilege*, it v/as flealing or purloining God'sproperty; and, confidering <strong>the</strong> circumliances in which<strong>the</strong> Ifraelites were at this time, it was extremely properthat fuch a charge about <strong>the</strong> accurfed thing fliouldbe given, chiefly, I think, for two reafons : ifl. Toteach <strong>the</strong> army fubordinatien and obedience to <strong>the</strong>orders <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir general. It is well known, that whena battle is gained, or a city taken, it is diflicult to retrain<strong>the</strong> foldiers but a little from <strong>the</strong> plunder ; andmany a viftory, half-gained, hath been totally l<strong>of</strong>t,be<strong>ca</strong>ufe <strong>the</strong> army began too foon to feize upon <strong>the</strong>baggage or <strong>the</strong> fpoil. 2d, Be<strong>ca</strong>ufe money was to b«.jKrcunau<strong>late</strong>d for public ufes.Jericho was a rich city;ihe filver and gold found in it were to come into <strong>the</strong>
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