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they not only spared their lives , butcontrary to bath the letter and spirit of his injunction mixed , associated * and intermarried with them . The consequence was precisely what Moses hard frequently foretold in most earnest and pathetic admonitions > an apostacy from religion , a corruption of morals—national weakness and disorders— - losses , defeats , oppression and slavery . He told the ® , Deut * xxxiii . 55 , that those people , if spared , would be like pi ^ icks in their eyes and thorns in thmr sides * that they would ensnare and corrupt them , aiad in their turn become conquerors and tyrants over them . Therefore he
intructed'the Hebrews to destroy them utterly , or at least to avoid all intercourse or communication with them - And it ought to be observed , thai such instructions were confined to seven
nation * or tribes , viz . the Hittites , Gii ; gashites , Amorites , Canaanites , Pherizites , Hivites and Jebusites He gave very different rules for their conduct in * var to all other nations .
With the same view Moses not only endeavoured to inspire them with the utmost detestation of the idolatrous customs of those nations , commanding them to destroy utterly every mark or vestige of idolatry , and forbidding them to take to their use or
even to covet the silver or gold with itfhich their images were made or adorned , but wisely and justly levelled the thunder of his laws against every act of idolatry committed by an Israelite , as . the greatest of all crimes , most dangerous to the state ,
as Well as subversive of religion . In the execution of his divine embassy , he had negociated a treaty of alliance between the Deity and the Hebrew people , the condition of which were
protection and assistance on one side , . and allegiance and service on the Other . To tibis contact or covenant the people as a body had publicly , ^ qlamnly and repeatedly consented . / 1 'he first and second of the ten
commandments were the fundamental law * of this compact . Every act of idolatry was a violation of those laws , and had a direct tendency to subvert
w $ a from tbcacquaintanoe and commerce Hwjtnen beVd -with the Mombile andMidktnite women . See Njunbi ch . -xa ? r . See also the law to preserve the cfcaatity * f the Jiefere w wptoetu JDeut . xxiii . 17 .
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the independency , safety , and even existence of the Datum , by intermix , ing them with , and enslaving then to those nations for whom they bad reason to conceive the greatest dread and detestation . It was therefore as
criminal an act of high treason as can be committed in any state or kingdom . The events some time after the death of Moses too clearly proved with how much wise foresight he had framed and enacted those laws with
repeated consent of the people . It cleariy appears also that im > iaference can be fairly drawn from thia pecul&rity in the Hebrew constitution , to justify what is properly termed penecution on account of religion *
( 4 ) * That such public and stupendons miracles , as those which are re « lated , had so weak and transient an effect upon the minds of the Hebrew people , seems inconsistent with . the rational nature of mankind . Though the awful tokens of the presence of their dmnc protector and guide , were
pot the most part conspicuous to the multitude ; their faith and courage seem to vanish at every approach of danger or experience of distress . Their fears and discontents breakout into impious murmurs and seditions clamours . They are afraid of perish *
ing by thirst—they loathe the meagre diet whitfh they were forced to subsist upon ih the desarts—they wish to yetrtrn into Egypt , longing for the various and plentiful provision whirh that country afforded—at last tbep is an open revolt , upon an avowed pretence , that Mose& assumed too
much au * hority ~ and which seems inexplicable afjer the earth had opened itself , and swallowed the ririgleaders , to the utmost conste rnation of the surrounding spectators ; } 'd jj > v « ry . tiext day the people >» * ^ dJwov ^ ered the same mntiwous sp ^ which was no * subdued without W
ittterveutioii of a plague . " Whatctegree of morjil influence the same kind of miracles would haf ^ performed in our days among a " ' Bied and polished people is not caW to be-detcnwaecL But however ^
_ be estimated , no certain eo ncl ^ can be drawtolrom it in respect to w \ Hebrews . We may easily attnM * J them ; a degree of rationality , ^ superior to their uncultivated j » dJ and at the same time noting . 1 allowance for the importunat e
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274 Dissertation concerning tUe Pvwer tend Atoikumty hg which Moses acted .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1815, page 274, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1760/page/10/
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