punishment was just; it was a type of the everlasting destruction of the enemies of the gospel. The nations that forget God shall be turned into hell.

George. Joshua was a great conqueror.

Grandfather. After enumerating these conquests, the reason is given for the general of Israel being so successful. It was "because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel." The victorious army had now returned to the camp at Gilgal, and was established there. But there was more work yet to be done. The kings in the north of Canaan united their forces, and marched against them. Jabin, king of Hazor, was at the head of them. He had got all the other kings in his district to unite with him, and they thought themselves strong enough to oppose Israel.

They were very formidable; their people were numerous like the sand on the sea shore, and they had horses and chariots in great number.

George. I have seen a model of a chariot of war.
Johnnie. What like was it?

George. I could not very well tell you; it was a dreadful thing, with sharp points and spears standing out from it.

Grandfather. I shall read you a description of them, "The beam to which the horses were fastened was armed with spikes with iron points, which projected forward. The yokes of the horses had two cutting falchions of three cubits length. The axletrees had fixed to them two iron spits, with scythes at their extremities. The spokes of the wheels were armed with

javelins, and the

very felloes with scythes, which tore everything they met with to pieces. The axletree was longer, and the wheels stronger than usual, that they might be the better able to bear a shock, and the chariot less liable to be overturned."

Johnnie. They must have been fearful things for the enemy, they could kill so many people at once.

Grandfather. They certainly must have been very formidable machines, particularly to an enemy unaccustomed to encounter them. Lest Israel might be alarmed by this great host, and their warlike array, the Lord spoke to Joshua, and promised to deliver all these people to be slain; and as for their horses and chariots, they need cause no dread, for the Israelites were to lame the horses, and burn the chariots.

George. Lame the horses, grandfather! it was a great pity to do that; they would have been useful to the Israelites when they went to war, for they had no cavalry.

Grandfather. They were forbidden to have 'any, lest they should put their trust in them rather than in God, or lest they should be entangled by the idolatries of the nations from whom they would require to procure them. The prophet Isaiah denounces woe upon them that go stay on horses, and trust

down into Egypt for help, and

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in chariots, because they are many, and in horsemen because they are strong, but they look not to the Holy One of Israel, neither seek they the Lord."

Johnnie. Tell us about the battle now, grandfather.

Grandfather. We have a very short account of it. We are told that Joshua and his army fell upon these Canaanites at the waters of Sherom; that the great host of the heathen was entirely defeated; that some fled to Sidon, which lay to the north-west, and some to Mizpeh, which lay to the east. Their irregular flight shews the terror they had been in. The Israelites pur

sued and smote the whole of them,

till none were left

alive. They then lamed their horses and burned their chariots, as they had been commanded. Joshua only

required now to make himself master of the fortified places, which he did by degrees.

He burned none of the cities except Hazor, to the king of which all the other cities had formerly been subject. He rooted out the Anakim also, who lived in the mountains; both they and their cities were utterly destroyed. It was they who caused so much terror to the ten spies, when the children of Israel first approached the borders of Canaan. They mentioned with great alarm having seen the giants, the sons of Anak. The utter destruction of these giants shewed how groundless that terror was.

George. Did Joshua take long to subdue the country?
Grandfather. About six or seven years.

George. That was a very long time, why did he take so long?

Grandfather. I shall answer you in the words of scripture. The Lord, speaking to Moses before the Israelites first drew near to Canaan, said of the inhabitants of the land, "I will not drive them out from

before thee in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the beasts of the field multiply against thee. By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.” Now, having brought the conquest of Canaan to a close, we may stop for to-night.

How did the Gibeonites' conduct shew their ignorance of the true God?

What do we learn from their speedy submission?
In what ought we to imitate their example?

The leaders of Israel kept their promise to the Gibeonites, though they had been deceived into making it,What does their example teach us?

What are we taught by the humility of the Gibeonites?

What was shewn by the day being extended to twice its usual length when Joshua fought with the kings? Of what was the destruction of the Canaanites a

type ?

Why were the Israelites victorious?

Why were the Israelites forbidden to use horses in war?

DAN AND BENJAMIN.

"Israel, that saw his works of grace,
Yet tempt their Maker to his face;
A faithless, unbelieving brood,
That tir'd the patience of their God.

"Look back, my soul, with holy dread,
And view those ancient rebels dead;
Attend the offer'd grace to-day,
Nor lose the blessing by delay.

"Seize the kind promise while it waits,
And march to Zion's heavenly gates;
Believe, and take the promis'd rest;
Obey, and be for ever blest."

WATTS.

George. Will you finish the history of Joshua's wars to-night, grandfather?

Grandfather. The history of Joshua's wars is finished; the remainder of his life was spent in dividing the land between the different tribes, and giving to the people his parting instructions.

Johnnie. How old was Joshua when he died? Grandfather. One hundred and ten years old. George. Were there no Canaanites left in the country at all?

G