it was very streit or rigorous and dowted therwithal it would be so odious to al those countries that joined therunto that therby they might pluk them al upon them and occasion them to lay their powers togither in like sort to destroy them from the face of the earth that without mercie had destroied so ancient a people For worldly policie doth in such cases praevail very much with flesh and blood Nevertheles that we may see in what sort they did order this matter so far as they medled therwith first of al they began to take possession of their land when on the east side of Iordan they had a Num. 21 21-35 Deu. 2 26-37 3 1-11 subdued Sehon king of the Ammorites and Og the king of Basan and tooke those countries unto themselves At which time we find very good likelihood that they did fully execute the charge committed unto them For seeing we read b Deut. 2 34. 3 6. that they did utterly destroy them men women and children and that God so far approoveth their dealing with Sehon that he c Num. 21 34 maketh it a patern for them to follow in their dealing with Og and misliketh nothing that we read of in either of both it must needs be a very good conjecture if not a sufficient proofe that they destroied their idols also and did whatsoever els was to be done after a faithful and zealous maner But immediately after this before that ever they passed Iordan to the other side of the land by the reason that d Ios 2 1-21 6 22 23. a certain woman that kept victualing Rahab by name and dwelling in Iericho did keep secret a couple of men that Iosuah had sent to search the land both those men did swear unto hir that they would save hir and hir houshold harmles and the whole armie after they came in performed the same After this they entered the land and being victorious did very wel for ought we see to the contrarie perform their charge themselves entering unto the possession of the land ever as they got it and rooting out the old inhabitants and their idols with them And although e Ios 7 1-26 one man Acham by name did through covetousnes grevously transgresse and though the wrath of God was therby so sharply provoked that he did punish the whole multitude by making them flie before their enimies yet neither was it but one mans trespasse neither did the whole congregation leave it unpunished How beit not long after f Ios 9 3-15 both Iosuah himselfe and the rest of the princes did commit a foul oversight contrarie to the charge that the Lord had given them For when as the embassadors of the Gibeonites who were of that people that the Lord had appointed them to destroy came with a subtil practice to get a leag of peace at the hands of the Israelites praetending themselves to be of another nation far distant from the land of Canaan and that they came to be in leag with them for the great things that they heard to be done by them then the Israelites were so fully persuaded by that homly pollicie of the Gibeonites that they were indeed as they praetended that forgetting to aske counsel of the mouth of the Lord or els counting the same but needles in so plain a matter as they supposed it to have been they unadvisedly entered into the leag with them They were as wise men as others are and yet in this did they very fouly overshoote themselves But such is the wisdom of flesh and blood when it regardeth not the word of the Lord but wil venture to go by it self But this was but a smal slip to speak of in comparison of that which followed and besides that it was immediately after somthing amended by themselves For afterward they did indeed conquer the whole land and g Ios 12 24. slu in al one and thirtie kings But having once gotten the feeld of al their enimies and having driven them that remained to their holds h Iudg. 2 10. Iosuah also and the good elders being fallen asleep i Iud. 1 20-35 then began they generally to spare their enimies and either to let them quietly injoy many of their cities without molestation or at the least only to make them tributaries unto them Insomuch that k Iud. 2 1-5 the Lord did both sharply rebuke them for it and besides that did plainly give them to understand that seeing they had so done he also would now have peace with them have them to live in the land to the great and perpetual molestation of the Israelites that would not destroy them when they might At which sorrowful newes though the Israelites wept so bitterly that therby they gave the name of the place yet was it too late then to reverse that sentence of the Lord which they should have foreseen before And so by their sluggishnes it was fulfilled which the Lord before had spoken that l Exo. 23 28-30 Deu. 7 22. he would not destroy them at once least the land should grow to a wildernes and the beasts of the feeld rise up against them as afterward also he giveth them to understand m Iud. 2 22. 3 2 4. that they shuld be to som use unto them that is to proove them whether they would obey the Lord and keep fast to his wais and to teach them feats of arms 13 Concerning the division or distribution of this land How the people were sorted among themselves which the Lord hath in this sort given them which by conquest they have now taken unto themselves heer we have need first to consider how the people themselves were sorted for that the distribution of the land doth hang therupon Iaacob whom it pleased God to term a Gen. 32 28 35 10. Israel that is praevailing with God being the son of Isaac which was the son of Abraham had as it is wel inough known unto al twelve b Gen. 29 30 35 22-26 sons Ruben Simeon Levie Iudah Dan Nepthalie Gad Aser Isachar Zabulon Ioseph and Benjamin Out of which his twelve sons it pleased GOD to raise a mightie people which are called of Israel himself the father of these twelve the children of Israel as who should say that people that hath found favor with God as indeed they had specially done So likewise that race of people that came of everie one of these sons of Iaacob were termed the c Num. 1. Apoc. 7 5-8 tribe of him of whom they discended As the race or stok of Ruben was called the tribe of Ruben the familie or kindred of Iudah was termed the tribe of Iudah and so the rest Now it pleased GOD after that he praescribed unto them a set form of religion which was immediately after their deliverance out of Aegypt what time they had now been the people of God 430. yeers and
that it leaveth about three parts of this land on the west and but about a fourth part of it on the east Which also hath about the midst of the land that famous lake which is called the sea or lake of Genasereth 8 The name of this land is divers Of the divers names therof but a Herod Thalia lib. 3. Polymnia li. 7. Ptol. Geograph lib. 5. cap. 15 16. Plin. li. 5 c.12 among the ancient heathen people for the most part either it goeth in account as a part of Syria or els is it properly called by the name of Palaestine bicause of the Philistins that dwelt in a principal corner of it towards the south-west neer unto Aegypt In scripture it is commonly called b Gen. 11 31. 45 25. Exod. 6 4. 16 35. the land of Canaan for that the posteritie of Canaan the son of Cham did principally inhabit the same Afterward when the children of Israel were there placed and c Ios 13-19 the whole land divided among the 12. tribes everie shire or part d Ios 13 7 8. 14 2 3. had the name of the tribe that dwelt therin But so soone as the kingdom was divided e 1. King 12 16 17. 14 7 22. then was the south part termed the kingdom of Iuda or Iurie and the north-part which was the greater the kingdom of Israel f Isai 7 9. Ier. 32 4 5. Eze. 16 46 51 Mich. 1 1. or of the principal citie therin Samaria After the return from the captivitie it came to passe that it fel to have g Carol. Ste. ex historicis in Galilaea four principal parts of name Iurie in the south Samaria north from it then Galilie the lower and last of al Galilie the higher and furthest north So since the time of Christ after that the Saracens and Turks began to get possession of it it was termed of us or at least a principal part therof the h Hiero. in epitaphio Paulae Et alii fere omnes qui sequuti sunt Holie-land that name making very much for the clergie of Rome who when people began to inquire of their abuses were wont oft times to devise a quarel for the recoverie of the same so to set them occupied about other matters 9 What kind of land it was for the fertilitie therof Of the fruitfulnes of it for the abundance of things needful for the use of such as should dwel therin the scripture it selfe doth in like sort very plainly declare in manie places but especially under these terms that it flowed with milk and honie When God did first set in hand with the deliverance of his people out of Aegypt and told Moses that now he would no longer suffer his people to be under the greevous yoke of that extreme bondage to the tyrants of Aegypt but wold bring to passe that themselves should have a land of their own to dwel in he also told him that a Exo. 3 17. the same land should be a verie good and a large land and that it should flow with milk and honie b Deut. 1 20-22 When after that once they were delivered they came so far in the wildernes that now they were at the borders of the land and being incouraged by Moses then to make their entry desired to have searchers sent before very reprochful therfore injurious to the word of God that could not now be beleeved of them without the approbation of man and therfore immediately afterward woorthily punished in it selfe although of those searchers being but twelve in al no fewer than ten of them discouraged the people so much as to hope ever to get it for that their enimies were so mightie and had so marvelously fortified themselves yet c Num. 13 27 could they not denie but that the land it selfe was marvelous fruitful as also they brought of the fruits therof in witnes of it So likewise towards the end of their pilgrimage when Moses would take as we say his leave of the people or bid them farewel as he put them in mind of the law of God and called upon them to walk therafter so to the end they might better perceive that they should not leese their labor but were wel hired therunto d Deu. 8 7-9 he doth in like maner put them in mind how notable a land the Lord had provided for them e Deut. 11 10-12 another maner of thing than was Aegypt which som of them did so much condemn For that the inhabitants of Aegypt were fain somtimes to water their land themselves with their own bodily labor wheras this was watered without the labor of man with the sweet and seasonable showers of heaven from above and with plentie of springs and rivers beneath Again that the Lord had a special care of that land and that his eies were therupon from the one end of the yeer to the other And therfore that they should there have plentie of wheat and barly wine and olives pomgranats and figs with iron and brasse in great abundance And to the better testification therof and to keepe up a perpetual memorie therof he also taught them f Deu. 26 9. so oft as they should come with their first fruits unto the Lord ever in plain words to confesse unto the Lord that indeed they had received of him a notable good land To be short when afterward the people had diversly offended the Lord and therfore wel deserved to have their land barren and houses desolate nevertheles even after the enimies whom they called in with their sin had fowly defaced it g Eze. 20 6. yet then doth God term it to be a land that floweth with milk and honie and that is a pleasant land among al others 10 But notwithstanding the excellencie of this land a Deu. 15 11. Though there should be poor therin yet might that be no discredit to the land it selfe they were by Moses given to understand that they should ever have poore among them Which might be in the judgment of som a sore blemish to the land it selfe as though it could not be of that fertilitie when as divers of the inhabitants therof should be so needie Howbeit experience it selfe doth teach us that though any countrie do never so much abound with al things needful yet may divers particular persons that live therin be very needie Causes of povertie And me think there are three principal fountains out of which the want or straightnes that the poore are in doth otherwise spring First of al if themselves be unthriftie and wastfully spend those good blessings that God hath given them For then it is no marvel nor any strange matter if God that cannot abide to see his goods so wastfully spent take the occupation therof from such and bestow them on others He would have his houshold therwithal releeved he would not have his goods bestowed to the
were grown to about d Exo. 12 37. 600000. men besides women and children then I say it pleased God to e Nu. 1 49 50 separate unto himself or to take out one whole tribe or stok from among the rest unto the preests office and to the ministration of that service which himselfe had now appointed So wheras f Gen. 48 5. Iaacob as he lay on his death-bed in Aegypt had taken unto him the two sons of Ioseph which were Manasses and Ephraim as his own and so making two tribes of Ioseph had made thirteen in al the Lord thus taking the Levites out did leave them to keep stil the nūber of twelve By this distribution we are led as it were by the hand to follow this order First to search out what was given or allotted to those twelve tribes Ruben Simeon Iudah Dan Nephtalie Gad Aser Isachar Zabulon Ephraim Manasses and Benjamin and then what was given to the tribe of Levie whom the Lord had exempted from the rest 14 Vnto the twelve tribes What was the portion of the twelve tribes the whole land was by God himselfe appointed to be given and that by lot for the avoiding of contention that otherwise might have risen about that matter Howbeit this distribution was not so praecisely observed but that two tribes and a halfe that is the tribes of Ruben and Gad and halfe the tribe of Manasses praeventing their lot in that distribution got a portion to be assigned to them For so soone as the children of Israel had conquered those two kings aforesaid on the east side of Iordan before that ever as yet they had entred the land of Canaan a Nu. 32 1-42 these two tribes halfe the other liking that countrie wel desired Moses that the same might stand for their lot and so would they be content without any more on the other side Moses therfore taking them bound that they should nevertheles go over with their brethren and help them to fight their battels and not forsake them til their brethren also had gotten the victorie of al their enimies granted their request gave unto them that land of the Ammorites which immediately before they had gotten of Sheon and Og before mentioned Vnto the b Nu. 26 53-56 Ios 11 23. other nine tribes and the halfe that remained was the rest of the land that which lieth on the west side of Iordan and is called the land of Canaan divided but in such sort that as everie tribe had their portion by lot assigned unto them so should it be divided among themselves in such sort that those which were many might have more and those that were fewer should have lesse Again they divided among themselves the whole countrie that the Lord had bounded foorth unto them not only those cities which they had alreadie conquered but those also that were yet in their enimies hands And so dismissed al the tribes to repair to their own private inheritance and to conquer their hom-enimies such as remained within the lot or possession of everie one 15 Of the Levites there were three families What was the portion of the Levites and everie of those assigned to a special function or charge but that discourse we must reserve til we come to speak of their office or in what sort they had to live in this land which God doth give them So far as appertaineth to this praesent purpose being but about to search out what portion they have among their brethren it shal be best to make our distribution otherwise dividing the whole into these two sorts the common sort of Levites and those that ministred about the ordinarie service For either of these two sorts had as it were a several portion The common sort of Levites or generally the whole multitude of them were appointed to have for their maintenance a Num. 18 20 23. Deu. 10 8 9. 18 1-5 no part at al among their brethren but only b Lev. 27 30. Nu. 18 21 24 Deu. 14 22 27 12 19. the tenth part of al the increase or profits that the land did yeeld any maner of way and out of every tribe a certain number of c Nu. 35 1-15 cities with their suburbs to dwel in to the number of eight and fortie in al. Their cities were so taken out from among the rest that those which had manie gave mo and those which had fewer gave accordingly and the Levites were so scattered throughout the land that the people might everie-where be better taught The suburbs that their cities were allowed to have to find their cattel withal were appointed to be two thousand cubits or halfe a mile foorth-right frō the wals of the citie round about so that although God gave them no such portion as he gave to the other yet considering that ech of them had but a twelfe part and these a tenth part besides their cities with their suburbs it is evident that by Gods ordinance they had a much better part at least so long as the number of them did not much exceed themselves as they were now for that they were the fewest in number of al the other tribes Also the maner of paieng this tith was such that d Lev. 27 32 33. it was not lawful for them to put by a better and to put in a woorse in steed therof but to pay the same that fel out to be the tenth whether it were better or woorse And e Lev. 27 31. though the place were far so that they would rather covet to give the valu of it in monie than the thing it selfe in kind yet might they not so do but by putting a fift part more therunto so to put by such collusion as therupon might otherwise arise 16 Vnto the preests that were occupied in the ministration What was the portion of the preests a more liberal portion was du which arose unto them two maner of wais Wherof the former is the same that respecteth their ordinarie commodities the other that which respecteth certain other extraordinarie fees or avails Their ordinarie commoditie besides a Deu. 18 8. that which otherwise any of them might have of his own consisted principally in three things wherof the first is the tenth or tith that they had of that tenth or tith which the Levites received of the Israelits For as the Levites were allowed to take tith of their brethren the Israelites so b Num. 18 25 26. were they charged to pay over the tith of the same to the preests The second sort of such cōmodities as were ordinarie c Num. 18 8 9 11 19 30 31 Num. 5 8-10 were those measures and parts of al such things as were brought unto the Lord for oblations and sacrifices which was according to the nature of the sacrifice of which afterward we have to speak either a certain quantitie of corn flower wine or oile or else