119 



the different periods of their history, had either led the hosts 

 to triumph, or incurred, by their obstinacy and disobedience, 

 the penalties of defeat ; the facts which seem to indicate, 

 that the earher servitudes were merely local, partial, and 

 confined, while the dissentions of the remaining tribes, or 

 their negligence of the common cause, or the more remote 

 pressure of the danger, prevented them from assisting their 

 countrymen, and thereby endangering their own unattempted 

 prosperity and peace ; and, above all, the evident design of 

 the sacred historian, " to write all things for our ensample," 

 and, of course, to dwell more particularly on the dreadful 

 punishments of rebellion and idolatry, Avhenever they should 

 occur, and thereby to offer a perpetual commentary on the 

 denunciations, as well the promises of God, (Deut. 28 passim, 

 part. V. 25.) ; all these considerations are to me decisive evi- 

 dence, that if any hostilities had occurred, before the periods 

 of the several servitudes we have been examining, they would 

 have been distinctly related, and individually detailed; but 

 the very circumstance of disarming the land; and the imposi- 

 tion of tribute; the apparent hopelessness of relief; the con- 

 sequent indifference and despair, so often manifested to the 

 public welfare, are incontrovertible arguments against it. 

 But, in effect, if the arguments I have submitted, to prove 

 that " repose," and " jurisdiction," are m)t synonymous, are 

 allowed to have any weight, the very text and authority which 

 is usually urged for the contrary hypothesis, may be produced 



VOL. XI. R ^^ 



