JOSHUA Xxii. 10, 11, 12.

"AND when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.

"And the children of Israel heard-say, Behold the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel.

"And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them."

Thus by a mere hear-say nine and a half of the tribes of Israel were agitated, put in motion, and gathered together to go to war against their unoffending brethren. They heard-say," that their brethren had set up an altar; and so much was true; but this might be without any criminal intention; yea, from the most pious motives. But the hear-say excited a jealousy, that the new altar had been erected in rebell

ion against the Lord. One stirred up another; the fire of jealousy spread like lightning through the tribes; and prior to making any proper inquiry, as to the motives of their brethren, a vast army was assembled to go to war. But God suffered them not to commence the expected slaughter. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, and ten princes, were sent to expostulate with the supposed rebels, to bring them to a sense of the evil they had done. They went with full confidence, that their brethren had committed a great trespass against the Lord. Nor does it appear that it had occurred to their minds, that possibly the error was on their own part; for, instead of making a friendly inquiry, they introduced their business by an implicit charge of rebellion. As ambassadors of a numerous people, they opened their embassy in this manner-"Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord, what trespass is this, that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord ?" And as though this were not enough to say prior to inquiry, they proceeded Is

66