In the Hebrew economy we are struck with the fact that both the religious and the civil code were enforced chiefly by considerations and influences, rewards and punishments, coming in from the present world――not from the future. Let it be supposed that religious duties were in our age enforced by such motives chiefly――and we should see at a glance the change that has passed over the world since Moses uttered the concluding chapters of Deuteronomy. Idolatry, then the head sin of the ages, was fitly resisted, not only by the civil arm, but by the most fearful array of civil pains and penalties. The capital sins of Christendom are now of quite other sort; and the motives to repentance come appropriately from the other worlds yet before us and not from this. It may be difficult for us to realize how stern the necessity was that God should in the earlier ages govern the world, and not least his own people, by motives from the visible and not from the invisible world――from earth and time and the present life, and not from the eternal, the future and yet unseen state. [This subject will receive further attention near the close of this volume.] VII. _The principles and usages of the Hebrew code in respect to war_; with some notice of the _war-edict_ for the extirpation of the Canaanites. By their constitution the war-power was with God. The power and the right to declare war rested in him alone. He forbade them to make war on Edom; he commanded them to exterminate Amalek and the devoted nations of Canaan, and to “vex the Midianites and smite them”. (As to Edom, see Deut. 2: 5; as to Amalek, Ex. 17: 8, 14, 16 and Deut. 25: 17–19; as to the Midianites, Num. 25: 17, 18, and 31:).――――Their rulers were expected to bring the question before the Lord――Shall I in this case go up to battle, or shall I forbear? (Judg. 1: 1, and 20: 18, 23, 28).――――Any one tribe might go out to war alone, or might call in the aid of another or of all:――a fact which shows that the tribes were confederated rather than united and consolidated. On great occasions, of common danger, all the tribes associated together, and, with certain specified exceptions, every man able for war was required to go. The exceptions are given (Deut. 20: 5–8); viz. the man who had built a house, but had not dedicated it; he who had planted a vineyard but had not eaten of its fruits; he who had betrothed a wife, yet had not taken her; and finally, every fearful and faint-hearted man;――_i. e._ all who had special attractions homeward which might tempt them to desert the ranks, and they whose timid hearts made them worthless and might be contagious:――in the words of the statute, “Lest his brother’s heart faint as well as his heart.” Personal heroism was of prime account――a heroism inspired by faith in Israel’s God. The history every-where shows that such armies, fired with religious enthusiasm, strong by