which are not of the cities of these nations. To them, a different Conduct was to be fhewn: For, as by their infufferable Immoralities and deteftable Vices of all Kinds, they were no longer to be tolerated upon the Face of the Earth, God was pleas'd to give their Land, according to his Promise, to these his Servants, and confequently his chofen People; who were therefore (as far as they were able) utterly to extirpate and deftroy them and all that belong'd to them. But of the cities of these XX. 16. people which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt fave alive nothing that breatheth. But thou shalt utterly deftroy them: namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebufites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. That they teach you not to do after their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; fo fhould ye fin agcinft the LORD your God.

Deut.

In other Cafes, where they were accidentally induc'd to make War, upon Account of some national Misunderstanding, or Injury done, they were not to be out

rageously

rageously cruel, or wantonly to commit Waste and Depredations. For Example, though it might be convenient, and was therefore allowable for them, to cut down Timber Trees of all Sorts to make their Works and Fortifications with, when they laid Siege to any Place, yet they were always to fpare the Fruit Trees of all Kinds; as what would be neceffary to fupport the Lives of the Inhabitants, in future Times; when the little Rancour which was the Occafion of their present Hoftilities should be remov❜d and done away. When thou shalt Deut. befiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees, (Fruit Trees) thereof, by forcing an ax against them: For thou mayst eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the fiege. Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shall destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be fubdued.

In another Place, there are Inftructions relating to the Ufe and Management of

Trumpets

XX. 19.

Numb.

x. 9.

xxi. 10.

Trumpets in Time of War, as well as upon other Occafions. If ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remember'd before the LORD your God, and ye shall be faved from your enemies.

Those whom they took, Captives in the War, they were allow'd to fell, if they thought fit; as appears from the followDeut. ing Exception. When thou goeft forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, and feeft among the captives a beautiful woman, and haft a defire unto her, that thou wouldst have her to thy wife: Then thou shalt bring ber home to thine house, and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails. And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: And after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife. And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; But thou shalt not fell her

at

at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandife of her, because thou hast humbled her. How amiable do the Manners of thofe appear, in every Light, in every Circumftance of Life, who are the People of God, and continually adjust their Behaviour according to his Laws! They are, not barely juft, but humane, tender, and fufceptible of the fofteft Paffions, even in the Hurry of the Battle, and amidst the Spoils of War.

SECT. II.

The CAPTAIN of the HosT. The Perfon who in Scripture is call'd Captain of the Hoft, is of the fame Nature with him whom in the modern Phrafe, we ftyle Generaliffimo; one who had the entire Command of the whole Army. Such were Joshua and the Judges, under the primitive Conftitution of their Government, as it was fettled by God himfelf; and fuch, under Saul their firft King, was Abner. We read that Abner (the son of Ner) cap- 2 Sam, tain of Saul's Hoft, took Ifhbofheth the Son ii. 8. of Saul (after his Father's Death) and brought him over to Mahanaim; and made him king over Gilead, and over the AfhuI i

rites,

i

144

rites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Ifrael. And, afterwards, when Abner was treacheiii. 38. rously murder'd, The king (David) faid unto his fervants, Know ye not that that there is a prince, and a great man fallen this day in Ifrael?

2 Sam.

XX. 23.

What Abner was to Saul, the fame Joab was to David. It is faid, Joab was over all the host of Ifrael. And when David was inclin❜d to have Ifrael and Judab number'd, xxiv.2. he said to Joab the captain of the hoft, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Ifrael, &c.

2 Sam.

When Abfalom was forming a Rebellion against his Father, he made Amafa captain xvii. 25. of the boft instead of Joab.

And when, af

ter the Death of Abfalom, David was defirous of recalling to their Allegiance, those who had enter'd into the Rebellion with him; he gives Zadok and Abiathar, the Priests, Inftructions for negotiating that Affair with the Heads of Abfalom's Party; This, among other Expedients, being one; *And say ye to Amafa, art not thou of my

* 2 Sam. xix. 13. The Mother of Amafa was David's Sifter, as was alfo the Mother of Joab. 1 Chron. ii. 16.

bone